Please help! Anxious over trip with alcoholic Father.
Hello everyone!
I will be taking a trip with my 74 year old, father, who happens to be an alcoholic. Granted, he greatly reduced his intake about 7 years ago after a major surgery. Now, because of this, his tolerance is back down (up?). So, now the nasty comes out a lot quicker.
Well, we tried taking this trip last year. We were to go to New Orleans, LA, then San Antonio and Austin, TX, and lastly, Memphis, TN. Well, the morning we were leaving for Texas, we took a steamboat ride up the river, and he had a few beers. Beer used to not really be an issue, but again, the tolerance issue is in play here. As we were leaving, we got into a very heated argument over something sooooo stupid; coffee. We continued this argument out of New Orleans, and down the interstate towards Texas. A couple of hours into this, I couldn't handle it anymore. I had nowhere to escape to, nowhere to run; I was driving 70 mph down a highway.
So, we discuss why the fight began, and of course, it has "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the alcohol", according to my Dad. We decide to give the trip a second chance. So, we're leaving this Sunday, and will be gone for a little over a week.
I know that there will be drinking on this trip. He always drinks on a vacation. Sometimes, he brings his own. (Vodka and Diet Pepsi is his choice)
I'm struggling so hard with his addiction, as well as my own anxiety issues. This of course, being one of the biggest triggers of my anxiety, hence the irritability over it, and the arguing. I am determined for this trip to go well and not horrible last time, but I'm still fearful of what's going to happen when he starts drinking. I just can't take it anymore!!
If anyone might have some suggestions as how to at least cope with, or handle the situation, I would so greatly appreciate it.
Thanks, and much love and peace!
- C -