Am I enabling my parents to drink?
My step-father's nagging (and drinking) have driven my mother to drink. They are both alcoholics (67yo and 63yo, I am 36yo)
I have learned to live with their problems and try to pretend it is not a problem. They drink daily starting around 3-4pm and I cannot carry on a conversation with them once the drinking starts so I simply only see them at breakfast/lunch time. My brother, who still lives with them, reports to me all their horrible behavior.
I am at peace with myself, I know this is not my battle to fight, I am an entirely happy person. However, my brothers and sister do not want to "enable" their behavior by pretending nothing is wrong while their alcoholism gets worse and worse.
As I see it, there are only three courses of action:
1) We ignore it
2) We confront them and ask them to get therapy
3) We cut them out of my life as an incentive to get them to change their behavior
And finally...before someone says it...
I *have* been to a local Al-Anon session. I did not find listening to other people's problems useful. I have also made several visits to a therapist who was less than helpful, turning the discussion about how I feel rather than giving me the tools to cope.
I am looking for experienced and reasoned advice, not a shoulder to cry on. Thank you very much for your responses.