Warning: the following blog contains details of the fatal effects of alcohol. Every day, 70 people die from alcohol and this is just one of the stories that shows the reality of how alcohol can affect individuals, families and communities. Some of the content contained might be difficult to read, but there is support available if you need it. Find out more here: Get help now
It all started when I was
quite young. My mum was working and holding down a job as a single parent and
didn’t appear to drink that much until I got to about 10. But she then met someone,
and her drinking spiralled out of control.
I was the youngest child but
even so, I would be left home alone quite frequently.
My mum used to come home in
an awful state, falling out of taxis for all the neighbours to see. She also
used to fall downstairs and on occasion, she’d break her bones. Eventually, I
was taken into foster care.
I went off the rails when I
went into foster care and started binge drinking as a coping mechanism. I was
rebellious towards my foster carers as I felt I wasn’t loved. I was going from
home to home which was extremely difficult as I was having to up sticks all the
time.
I did continue to have a
relationship with my mum even in foster care even though she kept on drinking,
and in fact, it got worse after I was put in foster care.
As I got older, my mum’s
health was being utterly destroyed and she has been in and out of hospital for
most of my adult life.
Mum developed cirrhosis of
the liver and encephalopathy – a disease where the toxins assimilated by
alcohol were affecting her brain. She gradually went into a coma, and we all
thought she would die. She managed to survive it but unfortunately had
permanent brain damage.
Mum continued with her poor
health and almost bled to death on one occasion. She would also go to rehab and
stop drinking, only to start up again.
But this year, Mum developed
lung cancer and as she was going to have radiotherapy, decided to taper her
drinking and eventually stop with the help of a medical team. She has now been
alcohol-free for 16 weeks.
My mum’s family has been
extremely affected by alcohol. My grandad died an alcohol-related death and my uncle
died of cirrhosis. Another auntie (my Mum’s sister) who I was very close to,
died after a night out binge drinking. She fell out of the bus and under it and
she was accidentally run over. I found this loss very traumatic as I loved my
auntie very much.
I have volunteered helping dependent
drinkers at a drop-in centre. I’m also a community champion for Alcohol Change
UK now, as I want to warn people of the dangers of heavy alcohol consumption.
I’m passionate about sharing my story because alcohol has been very damaging to
my family.
When I was younger, I did have a couple of interventions from teachers and medical staff as I was messing up my study placement when I rolled in from a night out at 3 am and turned up stinking of booze.
However, my final foster carer gave me the love and support I needed. I credit her with helping me and steering me away from a path of destruction. She continues to support me to this day, and I wouldn't be where I am today without her.
Apart from my foster carer, I’d say my daughter has been my biggest motivation in not wanting to drink and I only very occasionally have a drink. I don’t enjoy the taste or what it represents. My daughter has inspired my brighter future and to keep going.
