Living with alcoholism or addiction – Episode 70

DSC_4706Do you wonder how you’re going to make it through another day with the drinking and chaos? Have you had thoughts of leaving or worse? Today we have 4 stories of living with active alcoholism or addiction.

We hear personal stories from Julie, Jen, Maria, and Spencer. Each of us was given the following questions as a prompt, and although our stories are different, they are also the same.

  • Tell me a little bit about your situation:
    • What relationship do you have with the active alcoholic or addict?
    • Is he or she living in your home?
    • How long have you been living with active alcoholism?
    • Are you still living with the alcoholic or have you separated?
  • How long have you been attending AlAnon meetings?
  • How long have you been working the AlAnon program, if that's different from the answer to the previous question?
  • How are you using the tools of the AlAnon program in your situation?
    • Which slogans do you find helpful?
    • How do you recognize your powerlessness?
    • What do you have power to affect or change?
  • Are you keeping the focus on yourself first?
  • Are you practicing detachment? With love?
  • Are you recognizing where you have enabled the alcoholic in the past?
  • How are you working to not enable now?
  • Has AlAnon helped you to be less angry, sad, scared, frustrated, anxious, (add your own favorite emotion here)?
  • What questions and issues are you struggling with now?
    • With respect to the alcoholic?
    • With respect to other family members such as children?
    • With respect to yourself?
    • With respect to the relationship you have with the alcoholic?

Upcoming topics include “recovery on the road” — how do you take recovery with you? And tradition 5, which for me captures the essence of AlAnon, says “Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics.” Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here.

Music from the show

Concrete Blonde – Joey

Nine Inch Nails – Down In It

Jimmy Eat World – Drugs or Me

 

3 comments on “Living with alcoholism or addiction – Episode 70

  1. Carey says:

    Thank you so very much for covering these topics in episode 70! Everyone’s stories about living with active alcoholism were exactly what I needed to hear.

  2. Beth says:

    I’m new to Al-Anon and living with an active alcoholic, this podcast helped me tremendously! Thank you!

  3. Paula says:

    I am new to al-anon,
    I was introduced to your podcast from a person at my meeting. I am coming to realize not only is my husband in the throws of deep alcoholism, with emergency room visits. But I am coming to realize that this has been a very long and slow process of a 15 year build up. since covid (i am writing in 2023) and the onset of possible retirement from his work, this thing has blossomed into a nightmare. The poor attitude and as mentioned in this podcast, promises and good intentions are never realized, and I too still take out the trash 🙂 I had no idea until recently that the negative attitude had to do with drinking. He is making a decent effort at recovery, but isnt sure he wants to stop drinking. But during the times he isnt drinking, I see my wonderful happier man I married so very long ago… I have really missed him. Thank you for this podcast, it made me very sad but opened my eyes and heart more. I am doing much to take care of myself, and almost ready to let God take over.

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