I am a 54 year old man and I have been sober 14 months after 27 years of daily drinking.
My father was a verbally and mentally abusive alcoholic. Today he is 80 years old, hasn't had a drinking in about 25 years, but he is still the same awful person - we call that a dry drunk.
I have panic attacks when I have to visit my parents house and can even become physically ill - they still live in the house I was raised in and even now I still am haunted by my past. Going there sober is tough - for 27 years I was loaded every time I was with my parents in order to cope.
I try to do the bare minimum when it comes to helping and seeing my parents. Some may say I am a rotten son and I do struggle with guilt. My brother flew the coup in 1989 and moved 2,000 miles away - I guess I am still a better son than him.