When Is It Enough?

Greetings Happy People,

For this blog, I would like to take this to a different level and talk about something a little bit out of my element. How out of my element? Well let’s just say that when I am done here, you probably know what’s on my mind.

Like many people, I like to go out and have fun. Sometimes it entails a drink or two. I can only drink what I can handle. If I can’t, I would prefer to have a designated driver with me.

Amidst the good time, merriment, and fun, there are people that just take it way over the line. They would have drinks more than they have meals in a day. I don’t know about you, but I think that is a problem.

Alcoholism is a disease and an addiction that affects a whole environment. The sad part is that so many people that get to this level of drinking don’t know that they have a problem until it is too late. Whether it is a loss of job, home, family relationships, or life, people are affected by this disease.

And the effects just don’t happen on the outside. It can happen inside the body too. Major internal damages are also done by drinking too much alcohol such as cirrhosis of the liver, pancreas inflammation, dementia, brain damage, strokes, heart disease, and in worse cases death. Many alcoholics would keep drinking to the point where they become “perpetual victims” to these ailments.

And like the perpetual victims, you have two types of people that deal with these alcoholics: the people that walk away from them and the people that do not. The ones that do not walk away are often annoyed by the following alcoholic antics – begging for change, creating unnecessary drama, listening to excuses and copouts, and sometimes mental and physical abuse. The people that walk away from it know that enough is enough. They are the “perpetual lions.”

Fortunately, there is help out there for people that drink way beyond their limits. Right now, I will give you the following places that are more than happy to help someone struggling with this addiction:

Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.aa.org)

Al Anon/Alateen (http://www.al-anon.alateen.org)

Life-Ring Secular Recovery (http://www.lifering.org)

Moderation Management (http://www.moderation.org)

These sites are only to be used if the alcoholic really needs to take that first step. Forcing this information down their throats will do not them any good. For this to work effectively, alcoholics need to make their own steps to this progress.

Why am I discussing something like this to you happy people? You can say that I have some personal experience in this matter. No, it is not me. Let’s just say I have had a few relatives that fell to this addiction. It wiped away their jobs, relationships with family & friends, and their freedom!! Others have also paid the ultimate price with their lives.

If there was a magic wand that can be used to cure the extreme levels of alcoholism, I would use it in a heartbeat. Until that day comes, I can only hope that these people say to themselves that they had enough…..and just walk a step closer to sobriety for everyone.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I