Never Assume
neverassume.org is an organisation of volunteers based in South Ayrshire dedicated to raising awareness of the help & support available to anyone who suffers through addiction. Jack's story. Mum died of Alcohol Intoxication when I was 14 years old. She was only 46. My parents separated when I was 9 years old and I lost all contact with My Father. Until then ,I don't recall Alcohol being in my life. I stayed strong for my Mum and myself. At just 12 years old I knew I shouldn't be experiencing this. Each day coming home from school, there would be a lump in my throat and butterflies in my belly. Opening the front door was the worst part. Was she drunk? Was she sober? I could tell as soon as I opened the front door when the vodka stench hit me in the face. The drinking would not start right away as my dinner was made for me (most days).I knew when dinner was over the drinking would start. My Mum suffered from the disease of Alcoholism and like most people living with Alcoholics , I suffered the brunt of it. Going to the supermarket with out going down the Alcohol isle was unheard of but I was used to it, it was "normal would hear the vodka bottle open in the kitchen and used to sneak downstairs to pour the vodka down the drain. Some of the things I saw at a young age were horrible. Some of the things I had to do scared me, like carrying my Mum upstairs when she was too drunk to walk, knowing that if I let her fall she would take me with her. I would get myself up for school as Mum would be knocked out from drinking the night before. I tried to get people to listen to me when I said she had a drink problem. She needed help. People thought I was over reacting, being a drama queen. No one listened, not even my Mum as she was in denial of the problem. My last words to her were "I hate you" but I didn't ever hate her. I hated the person Alcohol made her. he she suddenly died I told everyone she died of "Natural Causes" because I was scared they would think she was a terrible Mother. But that was not the case. She was the best Mum, it's just that her escape from pain and misery was Alcohol and in the end it killed her. I loved my Mum very much and it kills me more everyday knowing that she wasn't around to see me grow up . She wasn't there when I passed my exams at school and went to college or when I learned to drive. She wont see me have a career,relationships and children of my own because she was the victim of Alcohol and Alcohol won the battle. I hope my story will help .people to realise the damaging effects that Alcohol has on you and the people around you. I will be living with the effects for the rest of my life. Our aim is to raise awareness.
Thank You
Published: Jan 15, 2010