This young man is counting backwards from 21, relaying a detail from every year of his life.
And it’s incredibly painful to watch. This is a well-articulated example of how children are affected by their parents, and inherit their pain.
If you’ve ever wondered whether kids really see and understand everything you do, this will answer the question for you.
When Patrick says, “When my mother was pregnant with me, I wonder if she hoped, as so many mothers do, that her baby boy would grow up to be just like his father” – your heart will break a little.
You can see more of Patrick Roche’s work on Facebook.
If you are worried that yourself or a family member might have a drinking problem, you can find help at Alcoholics Anonymous. You can call the national AA hotline at 1300 22 22 22.
Have you ever experienced the effects of alcoholism?
Top Comments
This hit a raw nerve with me. What an incredibly strong young man. My Dad died 2 months ago after a long battle with alcoholism. He had a horrific childhood of abandonment and abuse, and about 6 years ago was struck down with depression and he began drinking more and more to try and numb his pain. His marriage broke down, his kids became either estranged, or in my case, a carer. He lost his job, his friendships, his health, his dignity. He lost 25 kgs in 6 months. We sought help from doctors, hospitals, counsellors, the police, the mental health system... All closed doors. By the end of last year his alcohol induced acquired brain injury was so severe he could not make any decisions and we were in the midst of fighting for power of attorney. He died at age 56, alone in an empty house surrounded by beer cans (we cleared 280 out of there when we cleaned the house). The police initially thought it was a hit on the head from a drunken fall but we are yet to see the coroners report so we wait in limbo to find out if alcoholism was the official cause of death or just a contributing factor. Seeing my Dad taken by this horrible illness was tragic. I too have felt some if the anger and turmoil this boy has faced, but I have come to terms with the fact that alcoholism is a disease and my Dad stopped having the ability to make a choice to change his life a long time ago. It just became 'too late'. The hardest thing is the stigma in society of these 'drunks'. They are real people, with real family, suffering from a real disease.
I hope to devote some of my time, once my grieving subsides, to helping spread this message and help families of those suffering from alcoholism. The best help we received was from Uniting Care ReGen and I will always be grateful for the support they gave us in our battle.
What an amazing and articulate young man.