The stress of loving an addict/alcoholic can be debilitating

Battle fatigue is the World War II name for what is known today as post-traumatic stress disorder: The person is typically numb at first but later has symptoms including guilt, flashbacks, headaches, back pain, nausea, vomiting, irritability, inability to concentrate, insomnia, indecision, tiredness and depression.
Unfathomable circumstances that I know nothing about happen in true combat. I am forever grateful to the men and women who sacrificed everything in their service to our country. In no way do I try to compare someone else’s experience or minimize the severity. When I informed myself about the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, I could relate to what I was experiencing. Then I’d downplay it, since I had never been in an extreme circumstance such as combat in war. This was a mind bender.
The stress of loving an addict/alcoholic can be debilitating and I was getting sick. Statistics back up the theory of stress related illness – stress accounts for two-thirds of family doctor visits and half the deaths to Americans under the age of 65, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I have even heard about the phenomena of sudden death from “broken heart syndrome.”
For me, accepting that my son’s addiction was a reality and my battle against it was causing me to have symptoms similar to PTSD was a turning point in finding help. How could I possibly help those around me when I was ill myself?

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