AA

Paulie’s dad was an alcoholic. It came to a point when his vice ruined his career, and almost ruined his family. That was all in the past though, and he is currently working hard again as a security escort aboard a cargo ship. Paulie’s mom was unbelievably patient and supportive during the times when his dad was almost always drunk. Without her, the whole family might have fallen apart and not be where it is now, slowly but surely healing the relationships that were almost destroyed during said period.

Paulie’s family story made me reflect on similar cases I know, that of alcoholism tearing the family apart. Sad, but very true in our society. Addiction, when not treated properly, can be very dangerous, not only to the person involved but everyone around him/her as well. There are a lot of really good alcohol treatment center facilities offering detox and rehab for those who need their services. But as in Paulie’s dad’s case, nothing beats the support from one’s own family members to help an alcoholic get through the difficult stage of letting go of his addiction.