You must want to change your own life

Description

Jacob: What's your name? Michele: Michele. Jacob: Who was the person miss using alcohol? Michele: My friend. Jacob: Did they ever lie and say that they didn’t have a problem or say that they will get help and didn’t? Michele: Yes, he said that he would go to an AA meeting but then made excuses of why he didn’t go and I thought he was in denial that he even had a problem. Jacob: Did anyone else in his family see him misusing alcohol? Michele: Yes, his parents and his siblings. Jacob: How did their addiction affect his family? Michele: He lied to them unordered to get money so he can go buy alcohol. Jacob: How did their addiction affect your relationship with him? Michele: It ruined are relationship because I wasn't able to trust him because he lied about what he was doing and who he was with and were he was hanging out. Jacob: How did you cope with the situation? Michele: Well at first, I was very angry we fought a lot and then I started attending al anon meetings for family and friends of alcoholics so I could learn how to focus on myself and set healthy boundaries and learn how to deal with an alcoholic. Jacob: Did they ever get into fights with family members? Michele: He faught with his parents because they moved him away from the people he used to hang out with so that he could be in a new environment and get treatment for his alcoholism. Jacob: Did anyone try to help him with his addiction? Michele: Yeah, he had a mentor and met new friends who also attended alcoholics anonymous. Jacob: Is there anything you wish you could go back and change? Michele: I would change the way I reacted to his behaviors knowing more know about addictions and alcoholism. Jacob: Is there anything that stuck with you throughout your experience? Michele: The experience taught me that I have to except that I can't change the addict that he has to admit that he has the problem and he has to want to change his own life and I learned this from attending al anon. I learned the serenity prayer witch states god this serenity to except the things I cannot change. Change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Jacob: Ok thank you.

Participants

• Jacob Hoden
  

Interview By

• Jacob Hoden