Category: Living with an alcoholic

I was digging through some old videos and thought, some of these could be dusted off and re-posted.  If you have seen it before, please forgive us.  However, if you are anything like me, being reminded of things, especially some basic principles, can be not only helpful but essential. This particular video reminds us that …

Continue reading "You can help an alcoholic change"

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OK, fair enough, I can understand why some people think that way.  I can understand how they arrive at that attitude or belief, but I still get frustrated.  Sorry about that, maybe I shouldn’t, or maybe if I do, I should keep it to myself.  But if I do, then I feel that I am …

Continue reading "Do Partners of Alcoholics Need Help?"

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I came across this article that I wrote some time ago and thought that it might interest you.  This article describes the incident that led to the start of Bottled Up. I have always hated it when a woman cries. I feel helpless, guilty, impotent and I just want to be somewhere else — where …

Continue reading "How A Woman’s Tears Brought Hope To Families Of Alcoholics"

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An alcoholic says sorry About a year ago I wrote an article apologising for the hurt and pain that I caused by my drinking behaviour. For some time time now I have been meaning to record the video version of that apology. This is that video. An alcoholic says sorry Hi, John here.  I recently …

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If you are reading this then you have probably found Bottled Up when you were searching for information on how to help the alcoholic in your life.  Most people who come here are looking for two things that they believe can change the alcoholic in their lives.  You are probably looking for the same things. …

Continue reading "The Best Way to Help an Alcoholic"

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Last year I was interviewed by a treatment provider (Harris House) about our work in Bottled Up.  These are my  responses to their questions. Dr. John McMahon, co-founder of Bottled Up, is an expert on addiction whose passion is to help and support the families of addicts. Here, John shares about his personal experience with addiction …

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Alanon is an organisation that some people find useful and others don’t.  It is the main family group for people who live with an alcoholic.   If you are someone who hates being in groups, hates talking about yourself  and your life, and hates being given advice then Alanon is almost certainly not a place that you will …

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Christmas - a magical period or a time of dread? Xmas is surrounded by hype, with the media presenting it as a magical time when everybody is happy and love and joy abounds.  For many, expectations run high that the festive season will be wonderful.  However, for people who live with an alcoholic the lead …

Continue reading "Live with an alcoholic: A Survival Guide to Xmas"

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The self-help field has become exactly that - self help. But I want to help my drinker instead! If you have been around the field of recovery for a while this may not be a question that you would ever verbalise in public. You cannot change your drinker (drones the Greek Chorus in the background); change must …

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