[wiggy01]

Hi i have joined this group out of desperation. My dad is an alcoholic and has been for many years. He had a liver transplant about 7 years ago due to alcoholism but sadly has gone back to drinking. If i’m honest, i don’t he has ever stopped. I feel that he is now in the final stages of liver disease. He sleeps all day so then cannot sleep at night and this is when he starts drinking. He has has many falls over the last few months resulting in the ambulance being called but each time they arrive he refuses to go to hospital. From what i can work out from empty bottles i can see and his rubbish bin i think he is on about three bottles of whisky a week.

During the day he sleeps and says he feels ill. He doesn’t wash or change his clothes, doesn’t eat properly and has refused all help – be it from carers, doctors appointments, alcohol nurses etc. His stomach is enormous – due to ascites, he shakes, has bouts of diarrhoea and yesterday he had an ‘accident’ all over the carpet which i of course had to clean up. He is also very wheezy which is due to COPD but also possibly due to ascites.

I’ve had a blank from his GP and i get that if he doesn’t want to help himself then nobody can, i cannot false him as he is still of sound mind but i can’t just sit and watch him spiral out of control.

Unfortunately, other family members have now distanced themselves just because of his behaviour over recent years so i feel very much on my own. I don’t want to give up on him but its becoming very difficult.

I would be grateful for any advice please as to where i go now – i have even thought of having him sectioned but have been told this wouldn’t be possible and he still has mental capacity. Really not sure where i go from here.

[icarus-trust]

Hi,

I’m so sorry that you are having to deal with your dad’s alcoholism without any support. That’s really hard and must be very stressful for you.

I work for a charity called The Icarus Trust. We provide help and support for people like you who are affected by a family member’s addiction. We have people you could talk with who are trained and experienced. They would listen to you, answer some of your questions and let you know what other support is available. Hopefully they would help you find a way forward.

You can contact Icarus Trust on help@icarustrust.org or visit our website http://www.icarustrst.org

Wishing you all the best.

[Author]

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