Comments on: Moms Who Drink (While Being Mothers)

By: Elizabeth Albright

Elizabeth Albright — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:09:47 +0000

This story is sad to see because someone I love & care about is an alcoholic has liver disease and cant stop. I met him years ago in the same hometown we went to the same kindergarten in 1971 ten years later we went to the same high school together. Through Facebook we began talking a little online then he called me four sometimes 5 times a day, but one day he didnt call me for five days and thats when I became concerned and through his mom found out he is an alcoholic and has battled it for years. I know he had a DUI and a suicide attempt then went into to rehab, but he takes nine medications, has liver disease, and will be in need of a new liver and he is only 44 yrs old!!! Iam trying to get him to stop and go back to rehab because it is affecting his life in sooo many ways. He gets tired, and discouraged easily at all the medications and even doctors have said if he doesnt drink for ninety days he can get a liver transplant and a new lease on life. Everyone alcohol takes a toll and it doesnt have to be that way. Dont buy alcohol if its too tempting to abuse, and keep toxic people out of your life if they drink and get drunk. Someone I love and care about has liver disease and continues to drink and sadly is dying. Please everyone think before taking a drink its not worth it!!!!!!! Life can be wonderful sober not passed out and drunk!!

By: North of the 49th

North of the 49th — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:26:46 +0000

Hi all, I was saddened to see the show and with the fact of drinking and driving being taken so casually by yet another self absorbed drunk.
I live next door to a housefull of “hard – core” drunks who continually and daily consume a garbage bag worth of beer. They and their parade of drunken friends continue to drink and drive, with luck so far being on their side. This abusive behaviour is merely another of the self entitled feelings that they project.
Like most alcoholics, they feel sorry for themselves while in reality they are abusive to themselves, and everyone else around them, with no regard for anyone except themselves, and that being only where they will get more booze and attention to the quest for more booze.
The one thing Dr. Phil said that I disagree with most is the mention of how they are killing themselves with booze. In my experience the only people to actually be hurt or killed by drinking are the innocent on the sidelines. Drunks seem to keep living forever, hurting others and destroying lives.
I honestly hope that Mary can clean up her life and see, though hard, life is not easy for anyone and the challenge is life itself and how to overcome difficulties.

By: Diane Hubbell

Diane Hubbell — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:53:21 +0000

I started drinking eight years ago when I caught my husband going to an escort service. I had a 3 year old and a newborn. Once I started, I couldnt stop. In the last eight years, I have lost my children to CPS, my RN license (I had been a Registered Nurse for 22 years), my home, my dignity and many friends. The only thing I gained from drinking was a felony charge. Now that I have lost my nursing lisence, and have a felony, I cannot get a job. A few years ago I was making $37.00/hr. Now I can’t even get a minimum wage job. The employers that want my education won’t hire me because of the felony, and the employers that hire felons won’t hire me because I’m educated. I have let down my family (none of who are alcoholic)and made my dad cry. I have been living with family and friends but soon I will be homeless and I am terrified. If anyone wants to see what alcoholism can do to your life, look at mine.

By: Tammy Swayze

Tammy Swayze — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:18:13 +0000

Dr.Phil; I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and I am an alcoholic. I watched your show today, and unlike Mary, I do not have children. I am 43 years old and have been drinking for 22 years. My mom died of lung cancer in October 2007 and my dad is terminally ill with bone cancer and lung cancer. I quit my job on May 25th and entered detox and was released on May 30th. On July 5th I am going to Henwood Addiction Centre in Edmonton, Alberta for 19 days. The day I am released we leave for holidays for 2 more weeks which means I will away from my dad for 5 weeks. I don’t drink beer like Mary, I drink vodka, never straight vodka. My point is; with my father being soooo sick, I have decided that I have to do this for myself while my dad is still living and he is my biggest supporter. I take him for his appointments whenever he has to go. I have done very well since detox and I just want Mary to know that she can do this also; I never thought I could and I am even between detox and recovery. I hope she does it for herself and her kids but she has to do it for herself first. Good luck to Mary and I really hope she will hang in there.; she has her kids to live for; my dad only has months to live but I am doing this for myself first, and then my dad.

By: Angie Ridenour

Angie Ridenour — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:32:18 +0000

This story just broke my heart. I have grown up with an alcoholic father and I know just how it feels to be this woman’s daughter and wonder what I can do or what didn’t I do to help this. I am now a grown woman with my own children and I still ask myself those same questions. Not only is my father a drunk but he is a paranoid drunk and truly believes everyone is out to get him and reality is he has isolated himself from everyone who ever cared about him. There have been times in my life that I decided it would be best if I just cut all ties with him and let him drink himself into his own grave alone. But he is my father and I can’t help but remember him teaching me how to fish and watching discovery channel programs with him. I don’t know where he went but I know he is still there and sometimes I can still see that part of him and that’s what keeps me hanging on. I am just now starting to realize that there is nothing I can do or nothing I could have done differently to change him. I am now trying to heal myself because I have given up on healing him. I pray for this girl that her mother will get the help she needs before she ends up in my shoes. My dad honestly doesn’t understand why everyone gets so upset about his drinking, he doesn’t realize that his illness has effected all of us and that I still carry it to this day. I have tried to talk to him and he makes up excuse after excuse and I don’t have it in me to make him choose just because I know he will choose his drinking. I guess I would rather have him even when he’s like he is then to not have him at all. I am proud to say I am not a drinker simply because I refuse to pass this burden on to my own children. I don’t ever want them to feel like they have to get out. I ran as soon as I was old enough to do so and I made a lot of mistakes to get there. At the time, I didn’t care, I just wanted out. Show’s like this one really make me stop and realize I’m not the only one who was embarrassed about what was going on in my home, I’m not the only one who lays awake at night wondering what I could have done and I’m not the only one who has watched someone literally drink themselves into a grave. And to the child in all this or any child going through this, remember this is not your fault and if you feel like you are the only one you’re not alone! No matter what happens, you are not alone! God bless!

By: tony grazziano

tony grazziano — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:14:33 +0000

I agree

By: tony grazziano

tony grazziano — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:13:52 +0000

Dr. Phil does his home work well and can read right through someone lying about themselves. I worked as a crime scene investigator for over ten years and saw the destruction that alcohol causes people and property. I have heard the same stories night after night and saw the outcome of myself the destruction and loss of lives. Once a life has been taken everything changes in the alcoholic’s life and the lives of relatives. It also ruins a happy life of the families and friends of the victims. I have seen people who never come out of the shock and depression after losing a loved one.

By: Florida Sunshine

Florida Sunshine — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 02:49:48 +0000

Lesley….your right. Mary’s, not ready, I saw it too. Been too, many AA meetings. She hasn’t crossed that line nor made that choice. I pray for her. Been there, done that! Still struggle daily…………………..I agree with what you’d said… I choose LIFE!! :) Florida Sunshine!

By: Lesley

Lesley — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:03:36 +0000

Dr Phil,
I would like you to know that I myself am a recovering alcoholic. I celebrated 9yrs Sobriety Jan, 2010. I just watched a repeat of your show on Mom’s who drive drunk and frankly I don’t think you did your homework on Mary. I could not be scared into getting sober EVER. I’m sure, if I could remember my husband or my children trying to do that for years with NO success. I had to be ready, and when ready I did it the old time hard way. Went and took a seat in an AA meeting with my hands under my legs so people wouldn’t see them shake and listened. I eventually heard my story, then heard it again and again from men & woman. Thank God I am not alone with this disease. I have not had to “relapse” or have a “slip” …. for me every day is “LIFE OR DEATH” for me and I choose LIFE. I never want to drink again, I’m sure I have another drunk in me but am equally sure I do NOT have another recovery. I sure hope the woman on your show Mary has received the help you offered her although my gut feeling is she has gone back to drinking since the show. See, there was something in her eyes that told me she was NOT ready yet. I pray I am wrong about her and I will pray for her and her family that she does realize what’s really going on with her and she comes out of the bottle (or can) and starts to live life.
Thanks for listening,
Lesley

By: Judy

Judy — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:10:05 +0000

Hi Doc , great show, good work. Just celebrated 21 years sober, what a tremendous life I have now. MUCH EAISIER! Anyway, a nice thing to give all those audience members the Bac machine, but You might suggest that they test themselves BEFORE they get in the car. So keep it in your purse, or somewhere, but don’t get in the car, because I believe once in the car they may just say to heck with it and go without testing. Just an observation, and a suggestion. Keep up the great work. Love the show. Thanks