The aging parent is a challenge.
However, I have also been dealing with an adult, alcoholic, opioid addicted son.
After bailing him out of jail 7-8 times since 2015, I finally opened my eyes due to anger.
He wrecked my car 2 times in the last 8 months, this time, probably totaled.
The mother, caring, trying to fix all, one more time and everything will change, has stopped.
Reasons why, at a later time.
He has been in jail for a week.
I finally learned to stop enabling, through help.
He will probably be in jail until May, I hope.
My chest pain, back pain, sleepless nights have stopped.
I am finding, taking care of my aging mother has become less stressful.
I want to share this because, we never know what else is going on.
My stress level has been so high for so long, I didn’t know.
I am seeking all kinds of help now, to stop the enabling cycle.
I hope this helps just one person.....
Has anyone ever notice the patterns with the "golden child"? They become low life!!
My mother made sure my brother got what ever he wanted. He use to beat the crap out of me and bully me everyday until I became a teen and my mother never did anything about. I thought for years that she told my dad and he never did anything about it either. I felt unloved my whole life. It wasn't until a year ago that I learned that my mother never told my dad what my brother was doing to me! She protected one child while sacrificing the other one! I am still so angry over this thought...I don't know how to get pass it or if I can ever get pass it.
Anyways my brother grew up self-entitle and stolen from my parents for years. It got to the point where my dad had to lock EVERYTHING up including pop bottles, garbage bags, paper towels, his tools, etc. My dad did try to teach my brother that stealing was wrong; however, my mother just kept letting him do what he wanted. He uses drugs and has been for as long as I can remember; we are six years apart. He abused my mother and I believe he is one of the reasons my mother had to filed bankruptcy. She did not nor could not have spent all that money in a very short time by herself. He has never had a real relationship and thank God he didn't have kids. He believes in some world that my parents house is his that he has rights to have it and get this...he thinks I should pay for all the bills and maintenance on it but not live in it...he believes that I owe him. Get that? That I owe him a living! The one he tormented! Man does that makes me mad!!!
He drives by everyday and he has tried to break in several times. There is nothing I can do until we install cameras. Even tried to beat me up in the kitchen because he said, "I made him lose his house." He is the one who got fired from his job, didn't pay his mortgage and refuse to find a new job. He has said that I am the reason his life is crap. I don't even understand how it can be my fault. I didn't raise him and I am not responsible for him. He made his choices!
As for now, he is playing the poor victim because he couldn't move back here after my dad passed away and how I and my sig other are living off my mother, but that is so not true. We both work and help pay for the bills and maintenance on the house. But to him "it's not fair"...boo hoo, boo hoo! He is such a low life, but he is my mother's pride and joy. He can talk to her any way he wants and he never does any thing wrong.
I am scared of what my brother would do to me if he ever gets the chance. I am the one thing that stands in his way of him getting what he wants...to have full control over my mother, this house, and her money!!!
I too wonder if my dad would have known what my brother was doing to me...had my dad protected me from my mother and brother; would my life turned out better or at least different!!
I guess I am having a bad couple of days:(
But Midkid you are not alone!
Of course he lost all the money--spent time in jail on child abuse charges. Molested me and my 2 younger sibs for YEARS but we knew mother wouldn't believe us, so we never told. Did drugs, lived on the streets, when daddy wouldn't let him mooch off them--sad sorry life.
Everything he touched turned to garbage. Produced 5-6 kids ( we aren't sure) and left 3-4 wives (again, we aren't sure) and just basically lived a rough, awful life with so much pain.
Daddy finally wised up and appointed another brother as mom's FPOA, so she couldn't keep slipping this idiot money. She had to account for every dime. So she'd give him her 'cash' grocery money.
He finally died, some years ago of uncontrolled diabetes--and I have never felt so relieved in my life.
I slept better, felt safer and never had ONE MOMENT'S grief over his passing. Just so glad he was unable to keep on being 'him'.
I'm still 'healing' from his abuse and I'm 64 years old. I wonder how different I would be if I had not been tormented and abused for years on end.
You are not alone.
My son sent me a message asking for money, when I said No, it is the end of the month and the end of my monthly budget, he got all uppity about people getting free money. I beg your pardon, he was the one asking for money.
Al-Anon may help.
Stress takes a toll on our bodies. I suffer from IBS, it was out of control 6 years ago. My marriage ended unexpectedly and I went through a terrible separation and divorce. I had to go off work because of the stress of it all, yet during that time my IBS settled down. Yes, I was under extreme stress, but not as much as I was during the marriage.
Counseling has been a great help to me as has putting strong boundaries in place.
I am glad you are seeking help. Caregiving is a challenge. I wish you the very best and sending a bazillion hugs your way! 💗
Wishing you all the best!
I think we're all going through much more than the questions we post. Glad we have each other here, and that all offer positive support and advice we all need.
Keep us updated, please.
I read alot, mainly memoirs on different topics. There are so many about substance abuse. I just finished one by a mother about her daughter who finally reached a period of sobriety after numerous rehabs. It is also heartening to read ones written by the individual regarding their experiences and what finally brought them to their knees.
I have a dear relative who lost her mother at the hands of a drunk driver. She was a wonderful person whose life was cut short. This happened over 30 years ago. Her daughter is a very spiritual person who does not speak about the manner of her mother's passing but I know how very much she is missed. She would have had grandchildren now she was never able to meet. Theirs was a wonderful mother daughter bonding relationship. The mother was at my wedding just over 40 years ago.
I hope you and your family can find the help you all need and your son can realize that his behavior with a car is a deadly weapon if he drives while impaired.
It is a work in progress. I’m not out of the woods by any stretch. But I know my enabling has to stop.
Second place is no place for a parent who has done as much as I have.
Promises, promises equals lies and more lies.
I know he can’t come back to my home.
I know a person can go to rehab a dozen times and still fail.
There is no al-anon in my town.
I won’t stop seeking help.
Been to a therapist before, I believe in them if you find the right one.
I'm glad you are feeling better. Stress is terrible! I recently took a long earned mini vacation and as I sat by the pool, walked down the beach, stared at the ocean, etc. my muscle pains seemed far away. I learned just how much my real life stress was hurting me. I have to make changes to get my health back. So, I know what you mean.
There is a good site called soberrecovery.com, that has a section dedicated to Family& Friends of addicts, might be worth looking into.
I wish you the best!