unconventional approaches to help dad stop drinking?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: la, ca
Posts: 1
unconventional approaches to help dad stop drinking?
my dad gets blotto everyday, usually starting around noon... gets halfway sober around 5pm, then goes for round 2, until he goes to sleep. he recently lost a gig that he'd had for 30+ years, so obviously that made it worse (though it had already started before then). now, he's trying to get other things going, but can't schedule any meetings or do anything productive after 12pm. it's not like he needs the money (he has done really well, and is past retirement age), but he feels that if he's not working, he may as well die.
he's made a million promises, that he never keeps - promises he "won't drink during the week" on monday morning, and is drunk by 2pm on monday afternoon (hiding in his office). he's the last person in the world who would go to any sort of rehab or anything (simply NOT even an option). i also SERIOUSLY DOUBT an intervention would do any good at all.
of course we've tried "talking" to him a million times - doesn't work. at this point, i just want to break the wine (yes WINE - he ONLY drinks wine) bottles everyday, and take the lock off his door, and simply demand and make sure that he "keeps his promise" and doesn't drink. it seems like the only way - though i'm sure a "professional" would not exactly recommend this approach. i just don't know what else to do.
anyway... if anyone has any experience with getting a family member to stop drinking, especially any UNCONVENTIONAL approaches that have worked, PLEASE do share.
ps. he smoked cigarettes for 40+ years. at one point, it was VERY important to my mom that he quit when i was born - he didn't. he DID finally quit however, 20 years later, when he started vomitting up blood, and his dr. told him that if he didn't quite immediately, he could die within 6 months. he never smoked a cigarette again. (obviously, it would seem from this that he needs to be "scared" or "shocked" into quitting - maybe it would work, but i have no idea how to get that to happen - and i doubt showing him pictures of an alcoholic liver vs. a healthy liver would do the trick O_O)
he's made a million promises, that he never keeps - promises he "won't drink during the week" on monday morning, and is drunk by 2pm on monday afternoon (hiding in his office). he's the last person in the world who would go to any sort of rehab or anything (simply NOT even an option). i also SERIOUSLY DOUBT an intervention would do any good at all.
of course we've tried "talking" to him a million times - doesn't work. at this point, i just want to break the wine (yes WINE - he ONLY drinks wine) bottles everyday, and take the lock off his door, and simply demand and make sure that he "keeps his promise" and doesn't drink. it seems like the only way - though i'm sure a "professional" would not exactly recommend this approach. i just don't know what else to do.
anyway... if anyone has any experience with getting a family member to stop drinking, especially any UNCONVENTIONAL approaches that have worked, PLEASE do share.
ps. he smoked cigarettes for 40+ years. at one point, it was VERY important to my mom that he quit when i was born - he didn't. he DID finally quit however, 20 years later, when he started vomitting up blood, and his dr. told him that if he didn't quite immediately, he could die within 6 months. he never smoked a cigarette again. (obviously, it would seem from this that he needs to be "scared" or "shocked" into quitting - maybe it would work, but i have no idea how to get that to happen - and i doubt showing him pictures of an alcoholic liver vs. a healthy liver would do the trick O_O)
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 447
Welcome!
Like anvil said.... the stickies at the top of this forum have a wealth of valuable information for you...but....
they one thing they won't do is tell you how to make him quit drinking.
because you can't.
Alcoholism is a disease. Your dad can't stop. But it's up to him to decide when and if he wants to quit and seek recovery.
I attend Alanon meetings (for family and friends whose lives have been effected by alcohol) and they really help me a lot. I would suggest you check it out.
and ...keep coming back.
Like anvil said.... the stickies at the top of this forum have a wealth of valuable information for you...but....
they one thing they won't do is tell you how to make him quit drinking.
because you can't.
Alcoholism is a disease. Your dad can't stop. But it's up to him to decide when and if he wants to quit and seek recovery.
I attend Alanon meetings (for family and friends whose lives have been effected by alcohol) and they really help me a lot. I would suggest you check it out.
and ...keep coming back.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
