When You Love a Functional Alcoholic

Download or read book When You Love a Functional Alcoholic written by William F. Kraft and published by Paulist Press. This book was released on 2011 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title says it all: When You Love a Functional Alcoholic, what is one to do? With good grace, a basis in the twelve-step program, and years of experience, Dr. William F. Kraft guides the reader through this most parlous journey-and back to wholeness and holiness and happiness. The book comprises thirty-three bite-size chapters-since it presumes readers are spending much of their time caring for (or bailing out) the alcoholic they love. Specific cases are described in particular, such as parents who live with teenaged alcoholics; children who have to care for elderly alcoholics; and what to do with that sometimes dry/sometimes even sober alcoholic who always seems to ultimately fall off the wagon. Making the book unique are the many stories of former patients, clients, and members of AA in their own words (anonymously, of course). These testimonies, which do not always end in a pot of gold, make not only for compelling (and sometimes heart-rending) reading, but also add a patina of authenticity to the book: if these people can learn to help the alcoholic they love, then perhaps you can too. Ultimately this is a book of acceptance, forgiveness, and love-all of which must begin with oneself. A bibliography completes the work. Book jacket.