Please parents take care of yourselves. I was in the same place with my alcoholic son. It was such a shock at first but the more I covered up for him the worse he got. It was tearing our family apart and my elderly mum who loved him dearly started dreading his visits. No boundary was adhered to in fact he laughed at them and thought we would never enact our threat of eviction. But for health and safety reasons he had to go. I wrote to social services took him to the local authority homeless service and then cried my heart out for a week. He has come to us in a terrible state and I have given him food, warm clothing but no entry to the home. He lived rough for 4 months and I thought my heart would break. He is now, with my help, in a homeless hostel. He has lost 5 stone and looks 15 years older than his real age of 23. He is doing his own laundry, cooking meals and has started a football team. He still goes out begging, looks and smells like a tramp and has no respect for anyone else except other homeless people. The lies he has told and the threats he has made are endless. But I truly believe he may be turning a corner and that the tough love regime has worked. It has enabled my husband and other son to have a happy home life again. He is my first thought on waking and my last prayer at night but no longer does his addiction threaten our family or my sanity. He no longer blames me for his problems and understands his situation is because of his choice. It has been a long haul over 5 years and I just hope and pray the next 5 are years of recovery. Take care everyone, and know that you are not alone.
