Dear Queenie,
My parents broke up a couple of months ago and my mom has been drinking a lot since then.
When she’s not drinking she’s the same as always, but very sad. But when she starts drinking she gets mean. She yells at me and calls me names and forgets things. When she’s drinking she can’t remember what she said before, and the next day she can’t remember what she said when she was drinking, or if she does remember she starts crying and says she didn’t really mean it.
The other night she got mad when I asked her something and she pushed me so hard I fell down.
Queenie, I love my mother, but I’m scared to be with her when she’s drinking. How can I get her to stop?—Teenager
Dear Teenager,
The behaviour you describe is the result of your mother’s drunkenness and it is very destructive for both of you.
Try to talk to her some time when she hasn’t been drinking and tell her what you have told me. You could even clip this column from the newspaper, give it to her, and tell her you are the one who wrote it. Hopefully, when she realises how badly her drinking is affecting you, she will be motivated to stop.
However, if she doesn’t try to stop, or if she tries but can’t, her drinking is probably out of control. In that case, tell your father at once, or your school counsellor or a teacher you trust. You need protection from the destructive effects of your mother’s behaviour and help in coping with this sorry situation.
