Alcoholism Recovery & Treatment

Alrighty, so I’m 19 years old and I’m a dude. A couple years back I was doing a lot of drugs….Mostly pot and alcohol. My parents did some family counseling to “set me straight” they mentioned something about how I wouldn’t really be able to get anyone pregnant. They’ve mentioned here and there somethings “special” about me. But I’m not a retard. ..And on my 18th birthday my dad said “I have something to tell you….But I’m gonna wait till your 21.” I have a vague memory of them dressing me up like a girl when I was little for a day and I cried about it. This is pretty serious to me….What classifies a transexual? I mean….I have a penis and pubic hair and some facial hair and I’m 6′2 I have pretty big muscles and an adams apple. And I’m straight. There was one more thing…I asked my dad for some condoms when I was 16 and he said I probably don’t need them. I look and act like a dude and I have the right stuff down there… So what the **** are they talking about?

I’m at a loss for what to do in my situation. My husband of 4 years (we’ve been together for 9 years) is an alcoholic; both heredity and the environment he grew up in played a significant role. We are in our mid-twenties. We have a 3 year-old son, and an infant daughter, and have recently returned to our home state after being stationed over 2,000 miles away in the military for the last 4 years. I have no friends or outside support, as I am not close with my mother (my father is deceased.) It’s difficult to get out of the house to do anything without the kids, as I am still nursing our daughter and she’s having a tough time getting used to solid foods. I am a stay-at-home-mom who has not worked outside the home in 4 years.
My husband has always drank, but not to the extent that has been going on for almost a year now. He is rarely sober and drinks until he passes out. I found out, by him, that he has been lying to me about drinking for the last couple weeks. He said he had been drinking in-between work and school, and has been lying about the amount of alcohol consumed at other times. He expressed a sincere desire to change, even pouring out the remaining beer in the fridge. But that effort lasted 4 days. I’m pretty sure, from researching, that he’s entering the middle stages of alcoholism. He has already refused the notion of attending AA, and going to counseling is “not for him” either, even though it’s apparent he needs it. He’s in construction and many of the people who he works with are also alcoholics. Some drink at work or right after work.
I can see where this is going. I don’t want our kids to grow up in this environment. He loves them, and they love him. He’s not physically or verbally abusive- he can just get negative after so many beers. He feels the need to rip apart everyone he sees on television, and then starts on everyone who has ever wronged him, sometimes me. I put him on an allowance of $40 a week, and he has admitted that he sold some of his tools at work for money.
I feel that our relationship is deteriorating. While I still love him and recognize his disease, I don’t know if I want to stay if the situation were to become inevitable. He seems pretty unwilling to actually get help. I know that I can’t make him. If I were to leave, how would I support my kids, and afford childcare on top of that? I don’t have a degree. Where would I go? I feel so alone and I don’t know what to do.

I suffer from ADHD and have my whole life. I have always preferred to manage the symptoms on my own through diet excercise and structure. Recently I have become very overwhelmed by the symptoms… I have been through counseling, completely removed sugar and alcohol from my diet. I have tried planners, sticky notes, journals, meditation, yoga, everything. I need help! I went to the doctor yesterday to see if I could get a prescription until I can get myself back on my feet. The doctor said I needed to come back and undergo a blood test and urinalysis. Is this a normal procedure and why?

My ex is moving back here to actually attempt to be a father to his child. Here’s his deal. He needs to make $40 a year, to be able to pay his child support and live. He was a CD counsler at a halfway house” and a pristine treatment center for drugs and alcohol.When he got the job he took a year program and could legally practice etc. Since he has moved to a diff. state and can’t come back here and practice w/ out a masters. (due to law changes) He had about 6 years experience
He’s helped open tretment centers fired and hired, people and done individual and group counseling before. He has no 4 year degree but lots of experience for a job he is no longer able to do. Any suggestions for types of jobs, he could do?

I have never been to a therapist or anything like that. I’m thinking about seeing someone through my college because it’s free counseling. I’m not necessarily a shy person, but I find it impossible to talk about my feelings and to open up to anyone, especially a stranger. I know I need to get some kind of help though, I see so much wrong with myself. Depression, bulimia, drug/alcohol abuse, complicated relationships, deliusions, paranoia… I don’t even know where to start when talking to someone. I was wondering if anyone can share their experiences or first time visits. What can I expect, will the therapist start off with easy questions or just expect me to pour out my life story. I know I need help and I can’t keep putting it off. I’m just very nervous and anxious about how it will go.