In My Room

Please listen to the Beach Boy sing "In My Room", while you read this post.  Always loved the song but never really got what it meant.

Isolation started in the Garden of Eden.  When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they isolated themselves and tried to hide from God.  Isolation is a common trait among alcoholics and addicts.  We take it to a new level.  We try to hide the shame that our lives have become unmanageable.  A common thread among alcoholics and addicts is the inability to ask for help.  We truly believe that we can handle life by ourselves.  As a result we start to isolate ourselves from others.

They was so true in my case.  There were lots of people out there to help me, I was just to ashamed to ask for help.  I didn't want anyone to know.  In my case, I didn't even realize that I was isolating myself.  My daughter along with my sisters, my brother in law, and my brother and his wife held an intervention for me.
They explained to me that I needed help that I had withdrawn from my family.  I really didn't understand what they were telling me at the time.  But they were there for me.  They were there all along, I just didn't ask for their help.They told me how much that they loved me. I'll never forget the look in their eyes. I can't begin to tell you how much I love them for reaching out and helping me.  They saved my life.  

Addiction to alcohol and drugs is widespread today.  It affects people from all walks of life.  The core issue is still the same for all these people.  They have a disease and this disease kills.

If you recognize yourself in this post, I encourage you to ask for help.  I left my phone number on this page intentionally.  Call me if you need to talk, but also check out the links in the right column.  There is a link to Alcoholics Anonymous and to Al Anon and Alateen.  You can easily find a meeting near you.  If you are a family member and you see these traits in a loved one, please try to get them help.  You can also call me, but better yet, go to Al-Anon meetings and learn how to deal with an alcoholic and  addict.  I firmly believe that you have to be proactive.  Even with help, some don't make it.  Jared is a case in point.  His mother was desperately trying to help, but he died.  Al-Anon meeting are held in cities all over the world.  Help is there if you seek it.  If you are looking for a residential rehab location for a loved one, I can highly recommend The Right Step in Wimberley Texas.

The song, "In My Room" is a beautiful song.  Now that I hear the words differently, I understand the song better.  Many of the Beach Boys had drug and alcohol problems.  As famous as they were, they sound like they might have been alone.  An alcoholic can isolate themselves, even in a crowd.

God bless you.

Mike Carlson