Alcoholic Dad?

MiniSquish

I have a bit of a problem. I'm 22 and suspect my Dad to be an alcoholic. This could be a bit of a long one so I apologise in advance. My Dad is 51 and has suffered a stroke a few years before (due to drinking very heavily during my parents breakup). Last year around Christmas time he went out on a bender that resulted in his sister having to get him physically removed from the bar he was in by the Guards (my Uncle's are guards). For about 8 months he gave up the drink and then he started again in the last 3 or 4 months. He used to buy me a bottle of wine every time he got himself one, almost like it was ok because I was doing it too. After a while I started refusing them as I didn't want to go along with it.

Recently he has been fighting with his girlfriend (she is based in Sligo and we are based in Galway). Over the Christmas period he started going to the pub every day, almost as soon as they opened and staying there until about four, then coming home and on occasion drinking 2-3 bottles of wine. New Years eve I was at home and everyone was out. I heard a noise at the door and when I opened it found my Dad lying on the doorstep. A man followed him in the driveway and helped me get him into the house, to say it was embarrassing was an understatement. Then next day he promised never to do it again however I woke the other night to find the kitchen and sitting room filled with smoke and the grill om fire with cremated remnants of rashers and sausages.

He is in Sligo at the moment and my sister (who is 17 and repeating her Leaving Cert so doesn't need the stress at the moment) told me she was worried because she hasn't heard from him all day. We rang his girlfriend who said that he rang her at 12.30 and told her he was cooking a dinner for when she got home from Dublin, when she arrived home at 3 there was no sign of him and still no one has heard from him. None of his family, no one. I don't know what to do. My sister is looking to me to sort it and I don't know how. I want to tell my Mom so that she takes my sister over to her house and stops Dad from seeing her until he cops on. My sister said that if I do she will never speak to me again.

Dont know what to do when I talk to Dad he admits he has a drink problem but refuses to seek help.

JimmyCrackCorn

Get yourself to an alanon meeting
http://www.al-anon-ireland.org/

What you can actually do is fairly limited. Take care of yourself first on this one then do what you can to help your father.

The first thing you need to do is get to a meeting I cannot stress this enough.

I didn't take that advice and I became a real mess for years.

MiniSquish

Thanks for the reply. He says that he shocked himself into realising he had a problem last night. He has said that he's quitting. I don't believe him though so I will check out a meeting anyway.