What's with the Jekyll and Hyde behavior?
 

Are there any RA this side of the board that can shed any light on exactly what the deal is with this Jekyll and Hyde behavior that is so common with alcoholism?

It,s just alcoholism, it goes with the territory.

My Dr. Jeckle/Mr. Hyde experience came
with my mom. She was a lovely, attractive
women who worked retail as a Cosmetician
and a mother of 4 kids and long term marriage.

I was born the 2nd child, 11 mos. younger
than my brother. From what i recall, she
would drink with prescription meds, which
was a deadly mixture causing her behavior
to change from good to bad and then would
have amnesia not remembering the hurt, abuse,
pain, mentally, verbally, emotionally, and
most of all physically placed upon me.

No one outside the home ever knew she
had a different kind of personality. She always
protraiyed a kind, caring, functional person
in public with her job. However, I always
knew what kind of a person she really was.
And the sad part of it was, i could never tell
anyone.

She was a sick person dealing with her own
demons which eventually cause me to divorce
myself from her forever. However, i had to forgive
and understand her so that I could heal, grow
and move on for myself in recovery/sobriety.

Addiction definitely affects all those involved.
Especially loved ones.

Alcoholism causes brain damage in the alcoholic. If the alcoholic stops drinking, the damage doesn't go away, but the brain does what it can to create new pathways to restore functioning.

While the alcoholic is still drinking, though, their thoughts are distorted. Their behavior changes. Some alcoholics become mean and loud and obnoxious, even violent, when they drink. Others kind of get quiet and maudlin and feel sorry for themselves and victimized by the world.

As Earthworm said, the "split personality" goes with the territory. Real recovery brings out who the person REALLY is.