Kick Underage Drinking Myths to the Curb | Published by The Jenny Evolution

And, thank you for taking part in the Virtual Girls Night Out!

I will be using it in teaching my health class to the at-risk kids I teach this summer.

My son sustained a head injury in 2011 and now joins the ranks of the Silently Suffering TBIs. As I learned about the brain damage that occurs with a head injury I could not help noticing my greatest problem coping with him was he seemed no different then when he actively consumed alcohol.

I “think”, very strongly, that when a person drinks alcohol they lose brain cells. Now the old cliche when I was a teenager was, “we have so many” what’s a few we won’t use. I “believe” we and the alcoholic don’t have not a one we should lose! I also feel that society refuses to actively look at the problem alcoholism is.

I see the problems now but felt so alone as a teen. I didn’t see active alcoholism in my home. Never seen my mother drunk but saw her tolerate way to much. She also became a bar owner of which I never understood.

Mother as well as my self to include my grandmother never drank. I didn’t see violence in direct relation to alcohol like i’ve seen since, not in my family. But, my grandmother always argued with my grandfather about work to be done, how it was to be done, … . Most of us cleared out, walked away. It passed as quick as it came.

Mother never did nor could keep nor sustain any male/female relations, surely this contribute to as why I myself could not as well.

I could not wrap my “brain” around the “whole” alcoholism until my ex-husband came to me to make an amends. He quit drinking but switch his addiction to gambling. I’ve learned to make and keep a boundary ~ finally.

I don’t mean to wonder but the disease of alcoholism is so far reaching, I realize NOW, it’s passed on through the generations like a curse!

I’ve just recently “realized” how truly anger will block you from seeing REALITY and how we become “delusional” about what another person is really thinking, feeling, intents, and meaning.

We need to target the sick enablers, I got the leasts help in therapies then the alcoholic. It was the alcoholic coming to me making an amends. I told him I thought he was just a blank hole, seriously. I remember telling him I didn’t see our TV go out the front door so didn’t even think he ranked as an alcoholic.

Wow, was I sick? Yes, sicker and less help understanding. what this disease looked like in a family, friend, society.

I’ve got many years in recovery now but really since my son’s injury am I able to relate true brain damage and put it to a alcoholic and their thinking. Identical!

If we want to help our teens take care of teaching the parents first. This needs to be a required course in high school middle school, grade school. Strategies to get these affected “profoundly” to identify “stinking thinking”. blaming others vs taking responsibility for himself! Teens are confused because they don’t have a mature adult to help them, understand them nor teach them the patience they need to develop for himself so they can find tolerance in society.

There was no alcohol in my home or I should say the brandy bottle was years old Christmas after Christmas, but there was no tolerance at all for any shenanigans of any sort! I feel like my kids walked all over me, something I didn’t do growing up.

Peace, Arletta Paavola 8i