I don't think It has anything to do with strength, will power etc.
I am also bipolar...type I, mixed, severe.
That's a serious (and can be life threatening illness)
Anyone who tells me to just get my sh!t together, deal with it, snap out of it, pull myself up by my bootstraps, get a job, grow up, just get outside & get some fresh air.....just doesn't know enough about my illness and is actually giving me advise that can be extremely damaging to me.
I have proven to myself time and time again that I can't will myself out of depression, make myself sleep when my body won't, not even banish the intrusive suicidal thoughts from my head.
My grown daughter was pretty darn disgusted with me the last time I was hospitalized. She says she had a bit of a struggle with depression a little while back and still held all her responsibilities.
Yeah, whatever.
My illness, as is alcoholism, tends to be progressive.
I hope she hasn't inherited this from me and I hope her drinking habits never turn out to be alcoholism.
I have read that alcoholism can be related genetically to bipolar, depression and other things.
Dropping over indulgence in booze hasn't been any big deal to me.
But I have seen alcoholism up close and personal...and I have known people who didn't stand a chance without hospitalization and treatment.
For them, it is an illness just as real as my bipolar is to me.
I know that anyone who doesn't have my illness can be sympathetic and supportive but they can never really know or understand what it is like.
I know I don't understand alcoholism. I just want to say...so quit drinking, for God's sake!
I also know that doesn't work...whether I understand it or not.
For any and all of us...it takes what it takes.
I sure as hell didn't want to go to the hospital and be locked up. I hate it.
But I didn't have a choice (literally)...I have gone in by choice before. There is no one time fix.
It requires a lifelong treatment.
Alcoholism is a lot like that too.
My family can get mad at me all they want. And they have.
You know what? All that happens is that they get to be mad.
But, anyway...seeing as how I am probably twice as old as you are....
you really don't want to be with, be around or deal with someone with untreated alcoholism.
It is one of the single most heart-breaking things I have seen.
It will destroy everything!
At least they have medicines for what I have!
I hope this helps and you can find some peace with this.
It really is for the best that he is getting treatment.
Without it...you would lose him anyway...and the untreated way is far, far worse!
Support and love can't heal this.
If it could none of us would be here.
hugs