Thread: Helping my Mother realize she's an alcoholic?

Okay, just ten minutes ago.. I was in the kitchen when I heard an odd gurgling noise coming from Mother's room, I rushed to see what had happened – she was choking on her own vomit in her sleep! I got a towel and glass of water for her, I propped her up and wiped away all of the vomit that I could, but when she awoke, she shoved me aside..insisting that she was fine. This wasn't the first time it has happened, either. It has come to the point where she can't even make it to the bathroom during the night, resulting in her having several accidents.

I've tried to confront her on many different occasions. She immediately snaps at me about my weight.. (I've been on the chubby side my entire life, so, yeah.) Her main excuses are that she can still go to work every day, and she doesn't drink during the daytime.

She kicked my Father out of our house three years ago to help him sober up from his Alcoholism and drug abuse. Unfortunately, he died last week from Alcohol Withdrawal.

After his death, my Mother has been drinking more than ever. She has always drank, even when she was pregnant with me. I can't even remember a time when she wasn't drunk after 9 P.M.

She swears that six or seven beers each night is a normal thing for everyone, thus nullifying the term, “Alcoholic” in her brain. But you see, she mixes wine AND beer each night. She averages about seven of those 12oz cans, and I've lost track of how many glasses of wine she manages to sip down. (A rough estimate would be around ten and fifteen, or even more..)

She drinks until she can barely walk on her own. I always make sure to watch out for her when she's trying to get to bed in case she falls down and hurts herself.. I attempt talk with her in the morning regarding the previous night.. She assumes I'm making fun of her and demands that I stop “staring at her” while she's drinking.

So, I really need some different, subtle methods of helping her realize this important fact.. I think it's the only way I can save her from suffering the same fate my Father has. I'm very worried about losing my Mother so shortly after losing my Father.

I'm only 19-years-old, so, everyone in the family takes her word over mine. (She's 47-years-old.)

Thanks for taking the time to read this. It's most appreciated.

(I hope the "Mental Health" category is correct. I apologize if it isn't.)

my dad is an alcoholic so i know how you feel. there is absolutely nothing you can do or say to help because they will not admit they have a problem...they are in denial & think we are all stupid for accusing them!

even when the doctors told my dad about his alcoholism...he just told them they didn't know what they were talking about! i feel sorry for my mum as she gets the end result of his drinking..which is sometimes violent & very often sick. i wish there was a simple answer for you...but sadly, there isn't honey...i wish you luck though.

I am sorry to read about your situation. Sadly your mother is probably already aware she is an alcoholic and to be brutally honest, at this stage there is very little you can do. Accompanying her on a visit to the doctor where they can give medication to improve liver function, help with dizziness, and vitamins might improve her situation.

I suggest that you make a video of it and show her. Its not subtle, but I dont think that you are going to get through to her until she sees the results of her drinking. You could record for about a week and then show her so that she knows that its not a one-time thing, or maybe over several weeks.

But if you do this be prepared to move out that day!

Also get some support from family members so that she does receive treatment at AA or somewhere, maybe get her a sponsor.

Be honest with her, tell her that you dont want to see her die before you have children, that you would like her to see them and be able to play with them.