Old 10-02-2013, 10:10 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Recovering2
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,407
I have had a front seat to my parents efforts with my alcoholic brother, and can see a lot of similarities in your post.
We all learn the 3C's in AlAnon and SR. You didn't Cause it, can't Cure it, and can't Control it. Your well intentioned attempts to "help" with her sobriety may actually be getting in the way of her real recovery. The "suggestions" you make to her are a way of trying to control her actions/behaviors. You can't control it.
She is an adult, living in the real world. As long as she knows you are a safety net, not allowing her to fail or deal with the consequences of her bad choices, there is no real impetus for change. It really is her problem to figure out work, living arrangements, etc. Picking up all her responsibilities so she can focus on recovery isn't working, and that isn't real life. She has to learn to deal with sobriety AND be a responsible adult.

I watched my parents deal with this exact situation, starting when my brother was in his early 20's. Every time he got himself in a pickle, lost job/no room mate/ DUI etc, they stepped in "this time" to help him out. He would move home, and they would set rules. He ignored them. We drew up a written contract, when he broke that deal, they backed down. They helped and helped...and never got out of the way. Fast forward to today. He is 50 yrs old, and is currently living with my parents.

I can't tell you what to do, nor should I. But you don't want to be in my parents shoes 30yrs from now. You may not think it's a possibility, but neither did they. You can't decide how your daughter should handle her recovery, that's her path. But you can decide what you will accept in your home. Set boundaries, and be ready to stick with them. Find an AlAnon group near you, that is actually the best thing you can do to support her recovery. AlAnon will help you see your role in things, and you will find the support necessary for yourselves in dealing with this.
I hope this doesn't come across as harsh. I wish with all my heart that my parents had found AlAnon and stopped rescuing my brother. They might of all been happy today, we'll never know.
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