Can alcoholics ever drink?

[GoingNorth]

Yes, it is, and I knew nothing about the medications at that time. It wasn't until about 5 yrs later that I came across some articles on benzo withdrawal and thought "Oh crap!" and confronted my psychiatrist. He blithely said, "Oh yes. You'll be on them for the rest of your life." as if it were nothing.

At the same time, when I was ready to move to Greenfield, he refused to write to cover me until I found a psychiatrist here. My PCP freaked out when I told her about it, and offered to write for me until I found a psychiatrist down here.

Luckily, my psychiatrist here had no problems with-continuing the script, though reiterated that I was a "lifer". I had to sign a "contract" agreeing to urinalyses, only getting my benzos through her, notifying her of any other controlled substances I was prescribed and by whom, how much, etc, I actually did get sent off for a UA once.

Allergy season and I was having a miserable time. Walked into an appointment with swollen, red, streaming eyes, and she said, "I know...but...I gotta..." So, I peed in the cup. Came up negative for anything other than benzos, and we had a good laugh.

But yeah. I've educated myself since then. However, docs have known since the 80s that benzos should not be prescribed long term, especially not Temazepam, which I take for sleep. It is banned in several other countries due to its abuse potential. It is supposedly very euphoric. I've never noticed that.

I guess I'm lucky. I'm on lorazepam for anxiety. That idiot psychiatrist initially RXed Xanax, which is the worst of 'em all. I took one dose and passed out cold for 6 hours.

Marched my butt into his office, handed him the bottle of Xanax, and told him to RX something else.

 

[Nancy]

This thread was interesting to read. My father was an alcoholic. Lived to 95 but caused a lot of dysfunction in the family. About 7 years ago when my daughter was released from rehab I asked him not to have alochol at our christmas eve get together. My sister refused to honor that and brought wine and beer for her two grown kids. I confronted her a few days later and haven't spoken to her since.

 

[RN0441]

This thread was interesting to read. My father was an alcoholic. Lived to 95 but caused a lot of dysfunction in the family. About 7 years ago when my daughter was released from rehab I asked him not to have alochol at our christmas eve get together. My sister refused to honor that and brought wine and beer for her two grown kids. I confronted her a few days later and haven't spoken to her since.

How did your daughter do with the alcohol around?

 

[GoingNorth]

That was inconsiderate of your sister, especially as it sounds like your father had agreed to an alcohol-free party.

I usually have a few bottles of beer/mead/cider in the fridge, which most people won't touch because it isn't the "usual stuff". I don't drink when I go out anywhere because I have to drive, which has many, many people convinced I don't drink at all.

When husband was alive, we had a fully stocked liquor cabinet, domestic everyday stuff for parties, as well as appropriate wines, and a selection of husband's home brewed beers.

Then we found out that my sister and my nephew by marriage (sister's stepson) were hitting the alcohol, and had to lock stuff up and dole out the wine and beer.

We sort of got away from the "free flowing booze" because husband and I hated playing bartender instead of pointing people at the appropriate fridge or letting them make their own cocktails/pour a glass of wine.

It got to the point where we had appropriate beers and wines, served limited amounts, and we didn't drink except to taste wines, in case one or more guests needed to be driven home.

By the later 90's, we didn't have alcohol at all except for religious holiday dinners, and that was small amounts of Kosher wines.

It was just too much of a PITA to play gatekeeper over alcohol. Stu couldn't drink at all due to the amount of narcotics he was on, and had weakened to the point that he directed and I did much of the actual cooking.

People found that you could have a good time at our get-togethers without alcohol. (No one in their right mind gets drunk on Manischevitz wine)

And that's the big thing,learning you can have fun without alcohol. It was nice for me, as while Stu could deal with drunks fairly well, they'd always made me nervous, and still do.

 

[Nancy]

She ended up relapsing, as we knew she probably would. I don't blame it on that evening since if it wasn't that day it would be another. It was the fact that my sister did not respect the situation. If it had been someone in her family I would have done whatever I could to support them. When I said dysfunctional I meant it. Dad did not drink that day but he supported her bringing it and our relationship, already strained, never did recover.

Years before that when Dad was in a rehab for alcohol, they wanted to do an intervention. I have two sisters. I was the only one who agreed to participate.