The seizures can occur when the drinker stops drinking for a period of as little as hours.

My daughter is an alcoholic and has recently suffered a grand mal seizure after a night of heavy drinking. Her physician stated that her dehydration contributed to the episode.

I disagree with all that I have read on alcoholism and alcoholics, or how to treat your love ones who happen to become alcoholics. I think that a law should be passed that would require everyone to take care of their sick relative who may be sick, even terminal. As a society we have branded people with this horrible disease and placed the blame for the disease on the alcoholic. In reality, alcoholism is a genetically determined disease. No one sets out to become an alcoholic, it just happens - and it happens because of the genetic makeup of the person. This is not a question of selfish behavior; alcoholism is the result of addiction, as it is with any drugs, or even smoking. The physical impairment which accompanies alcoholism, however, is severe and usually causes permanent physical and emotional damage. Currently, there are approximately 18 million alcoholics in the US and approximately 140 million worldwide. This is a disease like any other - like HIV, cancer, TB, etc.. However, we assign too much of the blame for this addiction on the alcoholic.

My son is an alcoholic, so was two of my brothers, my father and many other relatives. These were not men of weak character, but men with the same DNA or genetic makeup. My family also has in its history ovarian cancer and other forms of cancer which impact the women in our family. There is no difference in how these diseases take hold.

Using the term "enabler" is making it all right to "throw the bum out," or to ignore the problem altogether - freeing yourselves to get on with your life... Unfortunately, the person you leave behind won't disappear - they will continue to drink, maybe even live... I believe we are our brothers keepers - for as long as we can be - that is the human thing to do. That is the Christian thing to do - or at least it was the last time I checked. What would Jesus do?

I have read through all 3 pages of these posts and I am glad I did, because it took me getting to the 3rd and final comment to find someone who I agree with. We don't thrown people out on the street when they have cancer so why would throw them out on the street if they are alcoholics? I am having the worst weekend of my life right now and tomorrow I have a very difficult decision to make. My son is an alcoholic and smokes pot. He is the mirror image of his father who is also an alcoholic and smokes pot. I thought keeping him away from his father and instilling good values would keep him safe, but clearly this is just in him to do. He is 24 y/o and has had so many opportunities to get it "right". He got kicked out of the Navy last year, because he would not complete a drug and alcohol program. He is now living with myself and my b/f 3500 miles away from everything he has ever known. I thought this would be a good thing for him to make a fresh start somewhere new, but apparently it has just made the disease worse. My son got drunk Thursday night while we were sleeping. I get ready to go to work on Friday morning and he's been up all night. I try to talk to him and he becomes combative. It then escalates to him putting his hands around my neck. I called 911 and had him removed from the home. He will be arraigned on Monday. I have asked that the judge court order him to AA, but I'm not sure that will do much good. I don't want to send him back to Florida, because the only person he has there is his father and that's just adding fuel to the fire. We have no family, but each other. I don't really know what to do. This is certainly not the life I wanted for either of us. Now I'm afraid of him and what he might do.

I have read everything and agree with the last two. I am also the mother of an alcoholic. My son is a great guy with a wonderful heart but he is now possessed by this addiction. I don't believe in kicking him out but in the same breath I have tried everything I can think of to help him. The only thing I have accomplished is a terrible way of live for myself and the rest of my family. His sisters are giving up on him and are mad at me because I don't. He doesn't want to get better, he is just interested in finding more ways to lie and more ways to get alcohol.

So... long story short... don't want to kick him out but he'll destroy us pretty soon. Which do I choose?

My son is 37 and a alcoholic he is on his second dui.heis my only son and it breaks my heart because there is nothing I can do.he can't keep a relationship going he doesn't even think he has a problem.I wish I had a magic wand but all I can do is love him and pray for him.its a horrible thing to watch when its someone you love

So touched by the stories I've read here... I feel/felt so alone in dealing with my only child's alcoholism. He too, is now in jail. At times I feel relief, knowing he's safe, not being able to drink, but also knowing he is and has created his own living hell. I have NOT had any contact with him... oh and how my heart aches. For him I have to stay strong... no more enabling him. I just pray to God to help him become strong, and to overcome this horrible addiction.

I came across this site and reaching out to this forum just to have someone to correspond with that can relate. My son is 35 very loving but his addiction is at a breaking point in regards to my relationship with him. I am just tired, worn out, at a loss. I remember when he first got arrested and I bailed him out of jail he was 17 or 18 and I told him at that time that I would NEVER do that again. Well many years later - I am still rescuing him. Just bailed him out a few weeks so. Paying his rent, buying him food, gave him a beautiful truck a couple of years ago and now it looks like a junkyard truck. I am just so sad.