My father used to be a drunk, and it was hard, he would fight with my mom every night, and I was so young, my sister was even younger, I used to listen while she pretended to not hear, it’s been 6 or so years, and now I am numb, numb to everything, I also have become very depressed crying myself to sleep at least 5 times a week, I talk to counselors and stuff, but it only helps so far, and truly I need advice from people who are going through the same thing, a drunk as parents and being depressed and numb, so please if you read this, give me some advice or hope.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE:
- First, thank you for reaching out to the TeenCentral community. It takes a lot of strength and courage to share one’s struggles publicly. There is both SUPPORT and HOPE here.
- It definitely can be hard when you grow up in a stressful and toxic environment. Those types of experiences often cause trauma that can affect us long term. Depression can even be one of the effects. A good way to navigate this is to do a little research. You will most likely find that a lot of what you are feeling is unfortunately pretty common. That doesn’t mean it’s not difficult, it just means you aren’t alone. We encourage you to start by checking out the LEARN tab on our page. There’s info on both depression and substance abuse.
- We’re so glad that you’ve already taken steps to talk to counselors! Keep going! Overcoming past traumas and healing isn’t usually a quick or straightforward process. You have the right idea though. Keep connecting to others who may have had similar experiences. Any positive family members or trusted friends you can share with?
HELP YOURSELF:
- Connecting to others is a great source of support but it’s also important to find ways to grow and strengthen your own resiliency. Finding positive ways to organize and express your thoughts can be helpful here. It may even lead you to begin “feeling” again once you start to get things out. Have you ever tried journaling?
- Feeling numb can often be a normal protective response to experiences like yours. Often times the emotions are still there, they are just kept deep down to keep you from hurting more. It’s important to try and keep processing your past so that in the future you have a better chance of letting those emotions come to the surface in a positive way.
- The process of healing can be tough. It’s a good idea to make sure you have a couple different “go to” coping skills that can help you feel better in those tough moments. What are the things that do bring you some level of happiness or joy? Doesn’t have to be anything big, can be little things like a favorite song, movie, or candle scent. Try to take time each day for yourself to do at least one thing that makes you really smile.
