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Alcohol at home
True life: Dealing with alcoholism in the family.
When you think of your childhood...Do you have happy memories? Maybe...maybe not. Of course, everyone at one stage or another had their ups and downs but if your childhood really wasn't a happy experience the scars will always remain with you. Lisa and Carol are two people bearing these scars.
For more information on problems like these, see the Alcohol and Drugs section.
Lisa always knew there was something different about her family, but it was only when she reached her teenage years that she realised where the problem lay: Her father was an alcoholic. She always dreaded bringing her friends home because she never knew what state her father would be in and if he would embarrass her in front of her friends. In fact, this happened several times, and she vividly recalls the feelings of betrayal and resentment.
For Carol, it was a similar story, except it was Carol's mother who had the drinking problem. She always felt that she had to hide her mother's problem from those around her such as her father and other family members. Sometimes she felt that she was to blame for the problems. She asked us to imagine what it was like having to put your mum to bed at nights because she was too drunk to even undress herself. She looked upon school as a safe haven where she could escape from the difficulties at home.
Both girls sought comfort by confiding in their closest friend who stood by them through all the hard times and were always there when they needed a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to listen. Unfortunately neither of the girls were aware of the helplines or services that were available to help them at the time. But there is help: you don't have to face these problems alone. Click the links above for information on support available.
See the help section for supportive information and contacts details of support organisations.
Thanks to School Journal.
This article is part of the SpunOut.ie true life stories section – a space for young people to share their experiences of tough times and encourage others to seek help. This story is just one person's experience and it may be different for you. Remember that no matter what you are going through, there is help and support available. See the Find help section for more information: http://www.spunout.ie/help/
