Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson, Contributor
My son's an alcoholic
Dear Counsellor:
I have a son who is 30 years old. He drinks alcoholic beverages profusely and squanders his money. He is not married and has three children. He is not a responsible father and does not support his children. He is following in the footsteps of his father who is also an alcoholic. I divorced the father because of his dysfunctional behaviour.
-Mary
Dear Mary:
Alcoholism is a chronic disease and requires fortitude and tolerance from the relatives and friends who would like to take part in his rehabilitation. Alcohol is a legal drug which is easy to acquire. You should not be discouraged by his behaviour as there are several ways to deal with alcoholism.
Alcoholism is associated with other illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. We usually need to treat both the depression as well as the alcoholism simultaneously, to get the best results. Alcoholism is an inheritable disease. It runs in families but sometimes skips a generation entirely.
Alcohol is a dangerous substance to the human body. If taken in excess, it can cause a number of medical and psychological problems, such as cirrhosis which is the hardening of the liver and disruptive behaviour. People who consume alcohol in excess suffer from these problems. Your son needs to see his family doctor to evaluate the damage done to his body by the use of alcohol.
Your son must be informed of the dangers of drinking excess alcohol and be convinced that he should give up the habit. Many individuals drink alcoholic beverages but an alcoholic cannot do so. With the support of his family and friends, your son will be able to get rid of his dependency and remain abstinent.
Dr. Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson; El Shaddai Medical Center;94 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6; Telephone: 927-4824; yvonniebd@hotmail.com
