Drama Central

Ogeechee River; GA

“I didn’t cause it, I cannot control it and I cannot cure it.”  -  Anon

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change . .”

     I was privy to a situation the other day that clearly demonstrates the insanity of addiction.  There is a fellow, husband and father to two young children who has not drank for some time now.  He hasn’t drank because every time he drinks some manner of trouble develops.  He figured that after some months of not drinking, that he sort of “deserved” a few.  He is the hard working sort it seems.

     He even consulted with his wife about drinking.  She was against it because she has to deal with the side effects.  But he convinced her that if he bought a brand of liquor that he didn’t like, he wouldn’t drink too much and everything would be fine.  And, of course, in the interest of saving money, since he was buying liquor that he didn’t like, he might as well buy a half gallon as it would last a good long time.

    Well, after a few hours and cutting his thumb to the bone after demonstrating his skills with a knife, he proceeded to kick his wife and children out of the house.  His wife had a funny feeling, so later, after taking the children to a friend’s house and getting them settled in for the night, she returned to find him passed out on the couch frothing at the mouth.  She found a suicide note, and realized he had taken her whole bottle of pain medication.  EMS, police, him having to be tranquilized and then put on a respirator, all the drama with family – it doesn’t stop.  And her first line of thought?  It was her fault for agreeing to let him get the booze.  Now he is in the hospital, heading to a psych ward, and there is the inevitable finger pointing going on in the various families involved.  A typical alcoholic mess, and certainly not the scene we see in those ads that promote liquor.

     I spoke with the woman for about an hour last night – and of course she is distraught.  I try to tell her that she cannot control a disease.  I explain that there are four criteria for a disease.  1. That it is primary, that it is a condition not caused by anything else.  He doesn’t drink because he is happy or sad, rich or poor, he drinks because he is an alcoholic.  2.  That it is chronic.  An alcoholic is going to die an alcoholic.  They may get sober and not die OF alcoholism, but they will die an alcoholic.  3.  That it is progressive.  Over time the condition and the resulting devastation will worsen.  And finally, 4.  It is fatal.  It might be called a car wreck, it might be called a stroke, it might be called suicide, it might be called accidental drowning or a fall down the steps, but it is alcoholism.  Can she hear me?  I don’t know.  Will he die of this disease, or perhaps end up in prison?  Probably.  Time marches on, and sometimes all we can do is hate how powerless we really are.  And, we can avoid buying an alcoholic booze that they don’t like.

Today, may I be sober.

EMAIL me if you like, DONATE if you can, Read Today's Meditation if you have time, but whatever you do be sure to .