Topic: Do You Fit Into This Scenario?
Nancy’s story: I am 64 years old, but I used to be a teen. Really I was young once. My father was an alcoholic and died at the age of 56. While alive he made our household miserable. We were poor and he could not hold a job. My parents had eight children and we lived in a two bedroom house. I was embarrassed to have anyone come to our house. Thus, I never dated in high school. It would have been awful for me. I lied about my dad’s alcoholism to all my friends; I didn’t want them to know. One day, in front of about one hundred students, my dad ran over the school swing set while drunk. My siblings and I simply pretended like it never happened. When our teachers approached us the next day, we simply pretended like we didn’t know what they were talking about. We were afraid to ask for help because we knew it would anger our parents. So we never asked. Now at age 64, I wish I had asked. If you are in a similar situation, please ask for help. So many people want to help you. I think there were many that wanted to help me, but I couldn’t ask. All I had to do was ask, and I wish I had.
The good news is I became a teacher, am married and have children and grandchildren. I worry for my children that the addictive gene is in them. I see it in them. We talk about it. Each is a fairly high achieving adult now and I believe a lot of the energy channeled to their successes is from the addictive energy. I think because we talked a lot with our children about the danger of inheriting alcoholism and other drug abuse my children never got into addiction. Today my husband and I have a strong healthy family. If I had to do it over again would I lead my life differently? Yes, as a kid I would have asked for help. I would contact Ala-teen, In The Rooms and the counselors in my school. Need privacy. Don’t want to confide in your school. Ala-teen and In The Rooms are known for their anonymity. Remember get help. Don’t go it alone.
