So many people need help and don't seek it

[Against_the_current]

We here talk on forum, have apps, meditations, tools, mostly therapy and meds. But for example my mom and my boyfriend won't seek help for their addictions. 😔

[mizzou7016]

Addictions are a completely different monster.....Until one is ready to fight their "demons" and get help.....no amount of treatment in the world will matter.....as for general things......such as anxiety....there is this mean devilish entity called pride/ego....our pride ego gets way too in the way....we think that if we can't handle it on our own...it is not meant to be dealt with...so we put it in our pocket and just keep going

[PuzzleArt]

There is help for friends and family of alcoholics. It is Al-Anon. They have been around for almost as long as AA. I went there and learned a lot! In addition to getting support from other members. Of course the family and friends do not want to see their loved ones destroy themselves, or die; So it causes the "codependent" to act crazy also. This pattern can be interrupted. If you haven't tried it yet ( and you probably have tried everything else) it is worth your time and consideration.

[SoporRose in reply to PuzzleArt]

This is excellent advice. PuzzeAry: Are there on-options for Al Anon that AtC could use? Is there a cost?

[PuzzleArt in reply to SoporRose]

I think they pass something around for a purely voluntary donation. There is no pressure to donate, and no notice paid or embarrassment, if you don't.

[PuzzleArt in reply to SoporRose]

I think there must be Al-Anon meetings online or by email for people who aren't able to get there in person.

[bethelbee in reply to PuzzleArt]

She is not in the US, is in Bulgaria

[glenninindy]

I can only offer opie advice about how I quit my long-term addiction to smoking. I could not do it myself, nor could others, so, I finally asked my Creator everyday to help me . One day, after praying everyday for help, after a few months or so, something happened and I quit for good. Prayer Can change things imo.

[Sillysausage234 in reply to glenninindy]

maybe it was actually affirmations to yourself that worked because rational thinking is would said creator ,create something like tobacco only to give people like yourself another problem / addiction to cope with besides mental illness?

[CLB1125 in reply to Sillysausage234]

Not to get into a debate about the creator but as I was taught, humans are born with free will. A human developed cigarettes from tobacco, in turn it’s free will to choose to smoke them. The same goes for alcohol, A person turned corn into something addictive to some people. The only time he will intervene is when he is asked for help.

[Sillysausage234 in reply to CLB1125]

Deffo not debating religion on here ,agree we are born with free will and then people are taught about religion,must admit I wasn’t and still on the fence I’ve asked him or her to help me but not sure they’ve actually been listening.so now I just ask myself to help myself.

[CLB1125 in reply to Sillysausage234]

Agreed.

[PuzzleArt in reply to Sillysausage234]

I believe in a Creator and that I had help from a power greater than myself to heal from a broken back. However, I also believe that everyone is a different individual and has to use their own brain to figure things out. It took me a long time to "connect the dots" and I don't think I was helped by people who think they know everything, or have every detail figured out about "God", including what we understand when we read the Bible. There is something there for the smallest child, and for the most brilliant physicist. And no one can force anyone else to believe what they do. I am very careful when I listen to authorities whether in science or religion. Back to Al-Anon, the members have personal experience with alcoholic friends, spouses and family members and are very helpful.

[MaggieSylvie in reply to Sillysausage234]

We have all the answers within ourselves.

[MaggieSylvie]

You can't help people with addictions until they are ready to ditch them. It has to be more attractive to them to be without them than with them.

[CLB1125 in reply to MaggieSylvie]

Absolutely! My ex and I tried marriage counseling but he didn’t see his drinking as a problem and our counselor said the same exact thing. Until he sees the problem and needs to stop he never will. And he never saw the problem until he started going blind.

[MaggieSylvie in reply to CLB1125]

OH. But surely going blind is not related to drinking? Not really? 'so he's stopped drinking. Now he has a new problem. I live with a blind man.

[CLB1125 in reply to MaggieSylvie]

the drinking was the cause of him developing diabetes. Diabetes caused his going blind. I lost track of him about 5 years ago. The last I heard he has the last stages of cirrhosis of the liver. The sad thing is he was a loving man when he was sober.

[MaggieSylvie in reply to CLB1125]

My partner has Type 1 and that's what resulted in his blindness. Your story is so sad.

[hanginginthere55]

I know it's frustrating. I get it. The stigma from getting help is usually what keeps people from doing so. I'm proud of taking care of my mental health. But it can be frustrating to see people who need help, making fun of those that do or thinking it's okay to hurt people the way they do. 💜