My heart aches again. Someone very close to me is struggling and it breaks my heart. I want to empathize with you - if you have ever been -or/are - in a situation like this.
My family suffers from generational addiction. We all have addictions of some kind, but mental illness and drug/alcohol has robbed by family of years of happiness. This type of addiction causes an enormous amount of dysfunction and a high level of stress to the entire family.
Both of my grandpa’s drank. My dad had trauma in his life. He was a recovering alcoholic who lost his sobriety and ended up committing suicide.
For as long as I can remember my family has been my why. My family has always been important to me. I will never give up on my family. I am worn down and exhausted from the years of being on the sober side and finding the resources to support those struggling. I will never give up on them. I can’t fix it for them, but I can be the constant guide for support and unconditional love. *
You would think after all these years I would know exactly what to do, who to call, etc. Wrong! Every day, every person, every situation has been different. It is like starting over every time someone is struggling. I even volunteered for years at the crisis hotline and every evening every caller was unique.
Today I saw a sticker on a car window that read TOMORROW NEEDS *YOU* Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255. This is an excellent message. I 💘 it so I am sharing.
We all handle “things” differently.
Today… I am so over it! I am writing in a place of pure exhaustion from several years of back/back to breakdowns. Not mine! But people I love are struggling.
I am tired of the drama.
I am tired of worrying; it is human to worry!
I am tired of the negativity.
I am tired of lies.
I am tired of the pain.
I am tired of addiction.
I am tired of the drain.
I do pray and ask for prayer.
I am careful what I say. I choose my words wisely. I have learned about boundaries. There is a fine line with mental health around boundaries, especially when you lose someone to suicide it’s a little more delicate. There are no go backs. Life is so short. I am responsible for me and my choices and how I handle these delicate situations.
Three things that I would like to remind you of today if you are in a situation. 1) *practice self-care (take care of yourself) step away when you must. 2) Ask for help 3) Call 911 if you or someone you love is in a life-threatening situation.
We are not meant to walk alone in this journey. With over thirty years dealing with these types of situations I feel I have learned a lot and became a better person because of these experiences. Today, I just needed to vent.
Til then,
Praying for peace and calm,
Kelle Cathey
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