The quick fix or mood changer is a slow death
 

My brother is now in Hospice Care with end stage liver disease at 64. He will be dead any day now. He spent the last two weeks in ICU with his liver and kidneys shutting down.

He loved pain pills and alcohol. He wasn’t drunk every day but he did drink every day. He had no real purpose in life. He lived to feel good, in a world that is not fair, easy or painless. As an addict, he believed life should be fair, easy and painless. Because it is not, he regained control of his feelings with the quick fix or mood changer of drugs and alcohol. He never learned a healthy way to regain control of his feelings.

I’m writing this to tell you that you don’t have to be a raging alcoholic to destroy your health. Drugs and alcohol are hard on your liver. His last few years he never even drank.

With respect to addictive behavior, I’ve learned that people change when they hurt enough and have to or when they learn enough and want to! My brother learned enough, but it was too late for him. It doesn’t have to be for you. People change, when they are motivated to change. People change when they understand themselves and what they really value in life.

I’m not writing this for you to feel sorry for me or him.

I’m writing this to humbly suggest you get high on discovering yourself and God’s purpose for you life. If you don’t believe in God, find something else of high value for you. When your values trump your addiction, there is no addiction.

Peace

Thank you for your post. I'm sorry to hear about your brothers illness.

I'm sorry to hear about your brother - thoughts and prayers to you and your family
CRRHCC

D

Good advice. Thank you and I am too sorry to hear about your brother.

Wise advice, I am sorry to read of your sad situation.

C,

Thank for your thoughtful and moving post.

This is exactly what I believe "’get high on discovering yourself and God’s purpose for you life. If you don’t believe in God, find something else of high value for you. When your values trump your addiction, there is no addiction" except that I would say not there is no addiction, but that you can find a way not to act on it.

This is a terrible time for you and to find a way to reach out to us during that time in love, amazing.

I am sorry for your loss. Your brother is blessed to have a sister like you.

XX

I am sorry about your brother CRRHCC. Thank you for your moving post. :grouphug:

I'm so sorry to read of this terribly sad situation CRRHCC.
I hope your post inspires others to take the plunge and embrace sobriety today.
Take care xxx

Aw I'm so sorry. I hope his passing is as gentle as possible.

The mix of pills and booze is truly lethal. I believe the acetaminophen in pain pills is particularly hard on the liver. And so many people do this. You are so right, you don't have to be a classic drunk to destroy your liver doing this. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you so much for this post. Take care x

Thank you for posting. Could've easily been me.

Such a moving, well written post. Thank you and so sorry to hear about your brother.

Thank you so much for this post. It's very helpful to me. I'm so, so sorry for what you and your brother are going through.

I am so sorry for your brother. I have to say your post is something I won’t soon forget. I copied it and what a reminder for me. Thank you so much for sharing that

Thanks CRRHCC, that is a very useful concept: using xxx to regain control of our feelings. Just doomed to failure and even more suffering.

Paracetamol is derived from coal tar. We put this stuff in our bodies?

Having values that trump addiction, I love that idea. Great post, right on the money and vitally important. Sorry for your loss.