happycamper1302

After years of worrying about and praying for my 36 yo son, he has finally sought treatment and is getting ready to begin soon. He lives in a shelter where the therapy and meetings take place over the next 6 months. I am relieved to know he is in a safe place with food and decent accommodations.

I don't feel at peace about this like I thought I would. I am still in fear that he will leave the treatment facility and be back on the streets in the cold of winter. He has an anger problem and has walked off jobs many times if someone says something he doesn't like.

I don't let him know I feel this way, of course. I tell him I am proud of him. I know I can't control any of this, that it's all up to him and everything. I just feel nervous and anxious that he won't follow through. Have other people felt this way when their alcoholic finally gets help?

Lyssy

Oh yes. Rah is 900+ days sober and I still don't trust him(?) Or maybe his sobriety.

Every day I let go and let God. Every single day.

Mango blast

http://al-anon.org/find-a-meeting

This Family Disease of Alcoholism has greatly affected me, the non-drinker, in very similar ways to what you're describing. Alanon has been a wonderful program for my own recovery.

teatreeoil007

Well, happycamper, no one can quite grip our hearts like our children and no matter how old they are we will worry...this summer my 26 YO son went back down to his old college town and partied with a bunch of college kids he still keeps in contact with, got drunk, fell down some stairs and broke his foot! His current roomate drinks a LOT and it's not a good influence on him. Luckily the foot healed okay and he seems to be more serious about health and fitness. We've just tried to be there for him, engage in fun, healthy activities whenever we can, and have him over for healthy meals as often as possible and never stop praying and staying in good touch. This approach seems to be helping and we are hoping he will finally outgrow this urge/desire to keep partying and drinking so much...he got started with it in college where it is sooooo permissible and encouraged and some people grow out of that and others don't as easily. He has made a few new friends who have been a better influence on him health - wise...don't know if this helps at all, but you're not alone. Be good to yourself!

dandylion

happycamper.....it is natural for us mothers to worry. I worried myself sick over my own son who is now sober. Of course, the worry part did not help ME one bit....and it certainly did not phase him as he was knee-deep in denial.

I wish that I had had the right kind of support and knowledge years sooner than I did. Please, take a lesson from me and get as much help and support from others who have had your same experience and arm yourself with as much knowledge as you possibly can.

I believe that mothers (parents)...and, especially, mothers carry such a burden of guilt and overwhelming desire to amend the situation....and slip into many unintended, enabling ways, oftentimes.

Please check you private messages.....you will see a flashing black box in the upper right corner of the page.....

dandylion