From Prozac to Parkland: Are Psychiatric Drugs Causing Mass Shootings?

[truth_seeker]

We already did that. I spent hours on the phone with his former insurance company in order to get him reinstated to cover the rehab.

 He got drunk the day he was released after 30 days of inpatient alcohol rehab at a reputable facility. He's since detoxed at least twice and been treated at a hospital. He generally stays sober a few days, then relapses. He even failed to attend his beloved uncle's funeral last month. My cousins wanted him to play the piano at the funeral home (he has a music degree), but he didn't show. Thankfully, my sister (professional musician) and I were able to pick up the slack.

He finally got his first DUI a week or so ago.

Sorry to hear about him. But it follows the normal pattern. I took a 24 year medallion a few days ago, but was upstaged by a friend taking 39 years sober.

The other guy didn't quit until his 5th DUI and threat of prison time.

My previous next door neighbors lost their only child to a drunk driver, so the two of them drank themselves to early deaths.

A fellow down the street, got kicked out by his wife, over drinking. He soon ran down and killed a bicyclist,  near our neighborhood. Thankfully he did stop drinking, and is now part of the sober fellowship community.

One of the things that changes with sobriety is having new friends and new hangouts.

[mountaineer]

I certainly appreciate that you understand the situation, @truth_seeker . My sister and I are pretty much at our wits' end. She bears the brunt of it, as he rents a house she owns just on the street above hers - so she can see if his car is gone, it means he's at the bar.

[truth_seeker]

I certainly appreciate that you understand the situation, @truth_seeker . My sister and I are pretty much at our wits' end. She bears the brunt of it, as he rents a house she owns just on the street above hers - so she can see if his car is gone, it means he's at the bar.

I favor tough love, tough measures, tough talk.

Families should stop anything which "enables," since that may prolong the time it takes to reach a "bottom" with consequences that are serious enough to make the person take heed.

Most excuses that drunks use, are BS. If he likes music, tell him that Clapton is around 30 years clean and sober. When his dear child died from an accident, he didn't drink. He wrote a song.

A friend of mine is a lawyer, and in CA sober lawyers have their own fellowship, called "The Other Bar." 

I knew a man that was VP Finance for a Fortune 100 corporation, who was warned he would lose his job if he continued drinking. He didn't stop, and they canned him.

The most important benefit of AA is a fellow alcoholic can communicate with another, like nobody else. Not family, not mental health "pros," etc.

[aligncare]

I favor tough love, tough measures, tough talk.

Families should stop anything which "enables," since that may prolong the time it takes to reach a "bottom" with consequences that are serious enough to make the person take heed.

Most excuses that drunks use, are BS. If he likes music, tell him that Clapton is around 30 years clean and sober. When his dear child died from an accident, he didn't drink. He wrote a song.

A friend of mine is a lawyer, and in CA sober lawyers have their own fellowship, called "The Other Bar." 

I knew a man that was VP Finance for a Fortune 100 corporation, who was warned he would lose his job if he continued drinking. He didn't stop, and they canned him.

The most important benefit of AA is a fellow alcoholic can communicate with another, like nobody else. Not family, not mental health "pros," etc.

You’ve outlined the real drug devastation affecting millions, not just in the US but worldwide. And there seems to be no proven method for affected individuals to ever drink socially or moderately, so abstinence appears to be the only viable life saver for most alcoholics. I love that you are here to remind us of that. Important stuff.

[Smokin Joe]

There's something to that. When I moved to a new city, I started attending the local church and eventually joined the choir. Good fellowship there. My brother is deeply depressed, but he refuses to engage with anyone - except his bartender. 

You might remind him that alcohol is a depressant....

I made a similar discovery in college, that being more social is a better answer. At the worst you can go home and be thankful you don't have the problems others do, and it often provides perspective. Volunteering at a thrift store or charity operation does wonders for helping a person count their blessings, but most of it is getting out of your own head and looking around.