Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 12/6/2007

Question
Hi there. I could write a novel describing events in my life regarding my mother's behavior, but I'll try to keep this short. I feel my mother (who has been a "functioning" alcholic as long as I can remember) is suffering from some sort of mental health problems, possibly brought on by the many years of alcohol abuse. She is now 54 years old, and seems to get more and more selfish, self-centered, lacking in social filters, etc. as she gets older. Recently, the week of my wedding, the situation really climaxed as she attracted a lot of unwanted attention with her behavior and sense of entitlement. She was downright RUDE, rude like I have never witnessed, particularly in regards to people paying her bills and things of that nature. I don't want to go into it all, but suffice it to say that she acts like she has NO idea whatsoever of what is appropriate or polite. At one point, in the wedding venue after we'd changed out of our street clothes into the wedding attire, she seemed truly confused as to why she couldn't leave her discarded clothes on the bathroom floor (where everyone would be walking, and where--pardon me for saying so--but her underwear were clearly showing in the pile.) I'm not speaking lightly here--she has exhibited egregious behavior with people she barely knows. When I tried to gently confront her with what she had done, she threw tantrums, called me names, lashed out in a childish way, and basically avoided every single question I asked her. It's like dealing with a 14 year old! I feel like the parent! Does this happen? Does alcohol cause some kind of arrested development, or better yet--a social/emotional regression? It really seems to be getting worse, and I feel so helpless, because she WILL NOT accept that she's ever done anything wrong. Help.  

Answer
Dear Joyanna, This must be very difficult for you. But alcoholics cannot be helped until they are wanting to help themselves.

Alcoholics do not suffer from a "mental" illness, but from a physiological illness that controls their mind and therefore their behaviour.

Please read:

Drug Addiction is Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/drug_addictions_nutritional_disorder.htm...

Why Alcoholics Drink? at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/WAD.html

Alcoholism (Addiction) is a Treatable Disease at:
http://curezone.com/upload/PDF/Articles/jurplesman/alcoholism_treatable.pdf

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman BA (Psych) Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search