About
the campaign
"My mum has been an alcoholic for as long as I can remember. She
was a single mother of three, me being the eldest had no option but
to look after my siblings. I was holding down a part time job at
13, trying to make ends meet, looking after two toddlers and trying
to get to school. My day was an endless chore. My mum had lots of
One Night Stands, parties, loud music. It was impossible for me to
bring friends home, and strangers stopped me in the street to laugh
because my mum had made a fool of herself yet again walkin home
from the local boozer. Due to mum's continual drinking, drug abuse,
I have had to suffer a great deal. I'm now serving in the Forces,
have a little girl and a nice partner. I personally have never
abused alcohol because I want a better life for me and my little
girl. Needless to say I don't speak to my mum very much now and not
bothered about it. I am paying for what she done to me, it still
hurts. I hope one day she will realise the extent of her damage.
I'm glad that there are people out there who want to make a
difference, good luck in your campaign."
Anonymous (posted 2 March
2007)
"I am a grown woman of 30 years old and I think that I will
never get over the abuse my father inflicted on me and my brother
when we was children. When my mother said she would divorce my dad,
he tried to dry out at a clinic, even in there he would sneak vodka
into his room in lemonade bottles. There was a time when my mum
could not stand the physical and mental abuse no longer, so she
sought refuge in a women's hostel. I will never forget the trauma
he put us through. I know that alcholism is a disease, but it is a
living nightmare for a child."
Anonymous (posted 26 February
2007)
"My mother was an alcoholic. She did some cruel things to me as
a baby and I had to be taken away from here at 4 years old.
"Later on in my teens I started to abuse drink myself. Then in
adult life I became an alcoholic at 29. I could not stop drinking.
In the end I got some help and sorted myself out. My mother does
not drink now and has diagnosis as Bi polar and takes
medication.
"We are both proof that drink can mess you up but we also have
turned that all around."
Anonymous (posted 18 January
2007)
"I am now 40 years old and my mother, who is an alcoholic,
thankfully has not had a drink for 18 years. However, my entire
childhood was chaotic because of her drinking. I was never able to
bring friends home from school as I never knew whether she would be
drunk or not.
"She was violent when she drank as well, regularly smashing the
house up. She also attempted suicide many times... I remember her
slashing her wrists while I stood next to her when I was 7 years
old. Whenever she made these attempts, all that would happen would
be the local casualty patching her up and sending her home to her 4
children... even though it must have been blatantly obvious that
this woman had some serious problems. Nobody ever seemed to care
what was happening to us at home. The extended family ignored it
and pretended it wasn't happening and as a child there was nowhere
for me to go...
"I am not undamaged by these experiences. I suffer from bipolar
affective disorder and am a recovering alcoholic myself (sober now
for 6 years). But on the positive side I have been very successful:
I have a degree, an MSc in Public Health and am currently working
on a PhD - as well as having a full time career in the NHS and a
wonderful daughter.
"My mother is still alive and we have an OK relationship. As well
as you would expect really. I am still angry though, but have to
accept that what happened, happened and all I can do is learn from
it...
"My heart goes out to children and young people who live with
parents who abuse alcohol."
Anonymous (posted 14 December
2006)
"I'm 17 years old and my Dad has been abusing alcohol for quite
a while now. I think that your campaign will do huge amounts for
young people like me, in providing support! There have been
been so many occasions over the years that I wish I had had
somewhere to go or someone to talk to about the problems at
home.
"Dad's drinking has gradually gotten worse, and has had an
absolutely huge effect on my family. I suffer from chronic anxiety,
stress and depression, and now have panic attacks on a daily
basis.I have been told this is partly as a result of my Dad's
behaviour and drinking. Its sad that because of his problem, the
last six or seven years of my life and my brothers life have been
ruined. And now, I have to spend however long with an acute anxiety
disorder, and the next few years trying to gain the confidence that
my Dad took away from me. If there are people and services who
other young people in my position can go to to feel safe, and to
talk to someone who understands, then I believe that those young
people wont have to suffer just because their parents are
alcoholics.
"Its fair to say that a problem like alcoholism can tear a family
apart. Its about time someone did something to help those children
living with an alcoholic.
"Thank you for finally bringing this problem publicity and taking
it seriously."
Jemma, Hampshire (posted 12 December
2006)
"My father has had a drinking problem for as long as I can
remember and alcohol comes above and before everything and everyone
else including food, rent, bills, children, family or anything
else. My father lived with us until I was about 7 then my parents
were divorced, for most of the time he lived with us he spent most
of it in the pub, so much so that my brother and I say that we
never had a father when we were growing up.
"He never abused us physically but I suppose we have endured
emotional and mental abuse because of his drinking.
"Before my parents were divorced my mother was working nights. She
left my father in charge of us - I was 6 and my brother 5. He got
drunk and passed out in the armchair. That was around 6.00pm; my
mother came home at 12.30am to find us both still up and dressed
without having had any supper.
"He has been caught drink driving four or five times in his life
and after they were divorced, would turn up at our house to collect
us in his car stinking of booze. My mother would never let us get
into the car when he was drunk and insisted on going out to the car
when he arrived to see if she could smell drink. My father was
quite happy to endanger us like that.
"The saddest thing of all is that drink does split families, any
children of mine will never have a kind and loving Grandfather as I
did as I won't let my father anywhere near them.
"I think that if he had been offered professional help those times
he was caught drink driving like counselling or detox I think it
may have made some kind of difference and we may have had an
opportunity to get to know the real person rather than the drunk we
have come to know.
"The government really need to do something about this, not doling
out asbo's or fines...they need to educate people and provide
children with access to places and services where they can get away
from the troubles at home."
Anonymous, 26, South Wales (posted 22
November 2006)
Need help and support? Search for
Turning Point alcohol services in your area and read
our
Bottling it up alcohol factsheet for further help and
advice.