Expert: Clyde - 4/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Clyde, Its Debra here- My dear husband can afford booze however he has begun to drink mouthwash- 1/2 bottle at night in secret. I have not mentioned this and have given him space and now that I have my own life to live- I  have more compassion and I also have a better understanding of the disease and illness he suffers with.2+ yrs in alanon and now sponsoring women- I have coem thru the outrage and sadness and now acceptance and taking my hands off!
He has been basically passed out each night for over a month and now has moved to mouthwash- I did not and have not been upset during that month- he works during the day and is running 2 small companies- so hes boss by day and passed out at night. Why does this occur ? mouthwash that is...- I realize its got to be some form of denial- that is obvious- I looked online and there is quite a bit of information about mouthwash being the new easy accessible drug for youth and the homeless without regulations- Does it go into his bloodstream faster or anything to turn to this other than denial and a cellular/alcoholism problem? Its seems extreme- is it worse for him than alcohol?
thanks and blessings, I remain
debra


ANSWER: Debra,
    Thank you for the follow-up and the questions.  Drinking of other substances other than alcoholic beverages is a common thing for alcoholics.  These substances contain ethyl alcohol just like the alcoholic beverages only it is in these for different purposes.

    Many mouthwashes have tremendous volumes of alcohol.  Then there are the cold medicines, cough syrups, hand sanitizers, shaving lotion, and cooking extracts such as vanilla extract.  All these have been used by alcoholics to get their fix.  And, yes, most of it is done to hide the drinking problem.  I once knew a fellow who was an appliance repair man and he had cases of scope in his van to drink between jobs.  The clients merely thought he had good oral hygiene!!

    I can remmeber as a child getting into the medicine cabinet probably as a six year old and drinking the VIck's Formula 44 cough syrup.  I liked the feel of it as it went down my throat. I also remember my mom giving me spoons full of vanilla extract and I would climb into the cabinet secretly and drink that as well as a kid.  I did not realize at the time that I was craving the alcohol.  It wasn't until I was in AA for several years before I remembered these supposedly "trivial" occasions to get alcohol at an early age.  Now I know to avoid all alcohol in any form and I do not eat or drink anything that may be tainted with it.

    Take a look at the bottle of mouthwash the next time you can and you'll see the % alcohol is probably fairly high.  Hand sanitizers are now being abused by youth to get the high from the high percentage of alcohol in them.

    If he has resorted to this then, yes, he is in denial and merely progressing down the scale to a gutter drunk.  I am glad that you have the program to give you support and to help you break the cycle of mental abuse to yourself.  You are right -- this is not your problem, it is his.

    I hope this helps and write again if I may be of any help.

Grace and Peace,
Clyde

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I am considering an intervention with the knowledge that these are merely sources to bring a bottom up. Do you have opinions about interventions other than a risk? the sentence mental obsession was so accurate- I was there for so long- now i think about myself and practice self care.
thouoghts about interventions of the kindest sort- hes stubborn as a mule and kind hearted.
grace,
debra


Answer
Debra,
   Thank you for the followup questions.  I have not participated in an intervention but I know many people in the program who are successfully sober after they had an intervention done on them.  

   I support the technique of doing this but like I say I have no experience at doing it.  I would call some local treatment facilities for some ideas on how to put one together.

   Good luck with it and I will keep you in my prayers.

Grace and Peace,
Clyde