Alcoholic interview-Rodney 

That's probably what started it. Wanting to escape the memories and childhood pain. To be numb.

This is what I was thinking. He knows exactly what is going on but can’t do anything to change it. So sad.

Spent his whole life running from those traumas and going nowhere, except jail, the streets, and the liquor store. Extremely sad to watch a human live their life like this is all they got in the world.

🙏🙏.

@@carpediem2445 He said his mom pounded it into his head; "It's the way I am. I can't do anything about it. If I drink, it numbs my feelings."

Best wishes from Nashville

Same here. 🙏🏾

Wow that's so true what you said about having to justify NOT drinking alcohol... I never thought about that before.

Very well said thank you i struggle with the same temptation everyday

Yep any other drug they understand if you don't want to use it. But alcohol, why don't you want a drink? Why not? What's YOUR problem?

I'm a little over 7 months sober. It's taken so many tries... I'm right there with you. It's really hard. Best wishes for you, Alex. I keep trying again and again when I fall down. I hope this time around I can stay up.

💔🙏🏽 me too 💔😞

It’s never too late to turn things around and get healthy again. My dad met his perfect match after an ugly divorce at the age of 58. Age is just a number! You’re still young!

🙏

Take a chance and reach back out to your family and old friends. People have short memories, and they just want you to change, so show them you have changed.

@@DianaCarolinaGirl22 thank you

Neglect isn't considered as horrific as physical abuse yet it causes as much damage, if not more!

Say it louder. Child neglect IS child abuse.

@@AmandaBabyyyyy Amen!!! It often starts so young that kids have no clue.

Well now he’s richer than me. The gofundme on here raised $53k. And here i have to go to work and this guy can keep chilling on the street drinking all day

​@@dh-uo4lt shitty attitude

Addiction stunts one emotionally to around the age the addiction started.

Yeah it's called trauma.

@@timmywitty1432 Feel like thats a blanket statement just saying

@@TheEuskon not at all, talk to anyone who innerstands addiction.

His mind stuck His body kept ageing

I was just thinking the same thing. Not sure why this effected me like that. I just feel that he never stood a snowballs chance in hell. Why do people have children and just ignore them? Give them to someone else if you don't want them.... someone will.

Me too

That's deep however he needs to hug himself like you want to hug him. He needs to love himself...heartbroken inside...so hard to see...bless this man

Makes sense about some of the kids I went to school with.💔

Well said Karen.

@Hunter Allen weed is just another drug it's the same as alcohol or meth lol just because it's socially accepted doesn't mean it's better or less harmful because at the end of the day it's just another drug

@Hunter Allen see you're just verifying my point that it's socially acceptable lol just because it's socially accepted doesn't mean it's not a drug lol it's still a drug just like any other drug no matter what and who has the authority to say this drug is less harmful than this drug!! It's all opinion based science because one would say that weed is dangerous and one would say it isn't just like all the others drugs it's still simply a drug and it's addictive bottom line

@Hunter Allen and that's another point that's just a opinion lol some say weed is more addictive than meth and some say the opposite but at the end of the day the fact is that it's a addictive drug just like all the rest

@Hunter Allen and yes I've tried it and it made me crazy sick and I'll never ever do it again lol and no I don't do any other drugs because they're drugs alcohol weed meth Crack coke herion they're all drugs that the government has put into categories so that they can regulate its usage

Your right there mate, she's one unfair , mixed up, muddled up , fucked up world and everything that happens to you as a child can be detrimental to you for the rest of your life and that's why I never judge anyone without knowing the full story.

@@Sweptundertherug Amen.

Allie, please seek out help. You can free yourself of this bondage. I did. My husband did. My son did. You can too. ❤🙏😊

@@peacefulwife5199 - want different! It sounds like your family is doing great - that alone is making me smile right now 😺

@@peacefulwife5199 I did too 🙌🏽 4 months sobriety now praying for my daughter to join me.

@@hansonallie you can do it!

@@tomeccaevans - Thank you!!!

Wouldn't that mean you're recovered? Been a while. Congratulations btw

@@MaidenlessActivites Thank you for the Congratulations. I really appreciate it. When you're an alcoholic you're always an alcoholic. The 2 stages are currently drinking and recovery. If I or my husband took one drink, our recovery would be over. As long as you never take another drink you're in recovery. Once an addict always a addict. In recovery perhaps, but as soon as you choose to do a line or take a few dabs, you're not in recovery anymore. I hope this is helpful. I thank God for each and every day that I and my husband are sober. I can't even be around people who are drinking. The smell of boozy breath makes me crave. So, it's like a diabetic staying out of candy stores. Why torture myself.

@@peacefulwife5199 Thank you for sharing here. I am also an alcoholic and I have been sober for over years almost 8 now. The way you explained it your right on. I am grateful for your sharing because it shows us newcomers that it is possible to live a better way of life. I also thank you and your husband for being a part of my sobriety today.

@@sswcustomsewing4276 Wow....Thank you. I am honored. 😊 Stay strong. You got this. 👍

Congratulations! My brother passed away April 24, 2022 last year from liver failure. He was a month away from turning 40. He was also a combat veteran from New York. I swear to God this man lived the life of a 90 year old man. Quitting is pretty much what killed him. His liver couldn't process the old alcohol which turned into ammonia and spread through his body. Then jaundice set it. It breaks my heart everyday, Congratulations on your sobriety! That is very impressive. I've only got like 21 months

Me too. I’m 61 too and have had alcohol problems but somehow it hasn’t destroyed my life. This is why you judge other people without being in their shoes.

@@Dodgerzden I didn't mention I'm 8 years sober as this is Rodney's story. Alcoholism destroyed me. And do you know what it still does. I hate being sober. I'm the definition of a dry drunk. So how can I judge those of us who keep drinking? It's an impossible, crazy, soul destroying disease. The only thing that keeps me sober now is that I decided to have children in sobriety. I owe them to stay the hell away from that first drink. Michael, I can only wish you well on your everyday journey. Really. All of us need love. I'm 40 years old. Expecting my third child. Not 60 yet. But I can already imagine being there. Alcoholism takes our time away. Just 'poof' gone! Sometimes , for some of us even when we're "sober".

@@victoriamcdougall1879 I wish you well on your journey too. Being a dry drunk is hell because you're always thinking what can you do or how can you pull it off where you can get into a situation where it won't be harmful? I was having a similar conversation with a friend who claims she's an alcoholic and doesn't think I am. She does Yoga and goes running and I'm thinking "it can't be that bad if you're doing that". Or maybe she's lying about it. She was living in a halfway house at one time and I've never been in that situation. The only thing I could think of that made me different from her is because I HAVE to take care of myself. I have no family that will step in and covers my responsibilities. It sounds like that's what's saving you right now. But that doesn't explain Rodney's dilemma because there is no one looking out for him either. I think alcohol affects everyone differently. There is a book I read many years ago that put forth the proposition about how genetics is a big factor. It talked about how certain ethnicities such as the Irish, Russians, and Native Americans have a high propensity towards alcoholism because they have only been drinking for hundreds of years instead of thousands of years such as Jewish and Italian people. Therefore Jewish and Italian people have had much more time to adapt to the issues of alcoholism. It's an interesting theory since I have both Irish and Italian blood in me and the two cancel themselves out. The people on the Irish side of my family have a history of alcoholism and the Italian side doesn't.

I was just crying over this one too. It is his vulnerability. I can't imagine feeling this way and being totally alone :(

So sad and heartbreaking

My Father & Grandfather were alcoholics. I’m so blessed that it didn’t pass down to me. I’ve never been much of a drinker. I think the last time I had a drink was a few years ago. My heart goes out to all that are in the grips of this insidious disease.

My ex was a huge alcoholic and now my son uses and drinks. Also I am.addicted to buying a.certain something but the word is addicted

Thank you for sharing. As long as you are doing better than you were yesterday, then I'd say you're on the right track. I have a lot of problems with alcohol, but luckily I haven't suffered any lasting consequences because of it.

Thank you Kianna Quick for helping me stay sober today.

How much did you drink

?

What the hell does that mean?

That's not as deep as you think it is...

My husband and I quit in 1995. Never looked back. It saved our marriage, saved our lives. Congratulations to you, Sir.👍

9 years sober from alcohol. To all those still suffering, you can get sober too. 💜

congrats. don't need a drink tomorrow, either!

Keep up the good work. U saved yourself. So proud of you. Life is good.

I'm reading this at exactly 8 and a half years sober- to the day (Dec.4, 2014- today is June 4, 2023). Stories like these are important to hear in sobriety. Important in all cases.

Congratulations on your recovery 🙏👏🤩❣️

Congratulations!! It’s been three days since you posted your comment so you might be at 147 days now, but if not you can *always* start again tomorrow-you get UNLIMITED chances! And it’s so thoughtful of you to mention to the pharmacy about standing in line by the alcohol…it’s so readily available, and the temptation for people fighting alcoholism must already be so intense, they shouldn’t have to stare at it while waiting to pick up their medication. Keep fighting the good fight! 🖤xx

@@AmandaBabyyyyy Still clean...feels wonderful to not wake up needing drugs. Have a great weekend guys🤗🤗🤗🤗

Congratulations on your sobriety! May you have the strength to continue in your journey. If you fall down just get back up, it's apart of your recovery. Be blessed.

@Cinders Fire Thank you so much for sharing. I am an alcoholic and I have been sober for 2,901 days today. I remember walking by the alcohol in early sobriety and it was really hard. I go to a pharmacy that has an alcohol isle not far from their pharmacy and you know I would have never thought to bring that up. Maybe I can ask them if they can put a display or something to get it out of the range of vision of the pharmacy. Because I see people who are looking pretty close to that isle who are also struggling with alcohol and what I do is just go up and talk to them say hello or show them some kindness. I hope that you are still clean and doing great today. Thank you for helping me stay sober today.

i had a very similiar childhood my mom was an alcoholic she passed then my dad remarried a crazy serial marrier woman i think shes been married a couple more times since they divorced :/

They always say that so people wouldn't use prohibition again. Which sounds like an alcoholic saying sobriety isn't worth the withdrawals

no wonder Muslims avoid alkohol.

Alcohol is needed but I feel you

Stay strong, you can break the cycle and free your son. God bless you. Submit to the feeling. You can do it.

One day at a time you can do it. Watching this choked me up because I come from a loving wonderful family. My decisions I made the years I was out drinking living a lifestyle that was an embarrassment to my family I never want to be that man again. Working on myself and becoming a better person its worth the work. Being a son, uncle, cousin, and friend I cant express in words how much that means to me. I just keep working and just do it a day at a time.

best thing you can do is get his father into his life, a boy needs his dad, dont think a woman can raise a man

@@philinn4788 His father is in his life. I am married to him. Not that it matters. I disagree with what you're saying. I know men who have had absent fathers and they have turned out to be complete gentleman.

@@AH-zm2wf accorodng to who? You? A woman

then at least he wouldn't be homeless. he was hungry with his mum n he's hungry now. at least he had a roof over his head.... 😢😢😢😢😢😢when shit hits the fan, doesn't matter how old we are, we all want our mum 💔😔

his mother gave him a death sentence and a life of misery

It really is a terrible drug. I’ve been to rehab a few times for alcohol and all the alcoholics look terrible. It destroys the liver which is very important for maintaining health. I’ve noticed the heroin addicts look healthy and the heroin rehab girls were very attractive.

How has he had cirrhosis this whole time?

​@@dh-uo4lt its very very slow and nasty awful way to die

Life is funny like that. I know a guy drop dead at 45. Perfect health specimen of a man. Ate right did mobility stretches every nothing. Barely drank. Drop dead of a rare genetic heart condition. It’s all a crap shoot. That’s why it’s important to enjoy life and don’t be extreme one side of the spectrum to the other

@@drewdelaney4166 longevity at the base level is all about what genetics you have.

must be the jail stints...even tho u sometimes get toilet wine. It's a once in a while thing. so liver gets rest inbetween

That hit me hard, too. Unimaginable.

A friend of mine ♥lost his spleen half.his stomach and a sliver of his pancreas from drinking and he still drinking so really to me it's just like heroin ughhhhh

@@carlaneal8263 it has the potential to be much worse than heroin I believe. Especially in terms of withdrawal and damage/ harm to others. Obviously you can't compare having a beer to slamming heroin, but actual alcoholism...yeah that is about the roughest you can get in terms of addiction right up there with benzodiazepines and opiates.

Sure he did. He was just never shown it. He didn't believe in himself, which is understandable if no one believes in you

Mark started the general GoFundMe campaign again, link in description box. You can write that you would like it to go to him. ❤

Thank you for all you did for us!!! Appreciate you man. I’m sober too! 2 years 7 months 24 days! And it’s beautiful 🤩

@@octaviobarajas3980 Thanks man and congrats on living clean. I tell ya its nice being able to remember my days and being able to function. I do not miss the drunken haze at all.

Thank you for your service. And happy that you are sober

Yea i reached a pointed where I said fuck it and started doing heroin. I ran out of the reasons why I avoided it for so long, luckily it destroyed my body so much it only took me 4months to be hospitalized and treated for opioid use disorder.

Did you drink because of ptsd from being in the military?

There have been crack addicts that smoked it on camera, and we don't know what gets edited out. Besides that, ofcourse it's nothing to bring a drink with you.

@@thematriarchy2075 true, didn't even think about the edits

@@nicholasd3990 Marky editing out most of the crazy stuff outside of his studio, and for sure some of the crazy stuff inside the studio.

🥺 sorry to hear… stay strong. 💘

I'm soo very sorry hun I hope you get help for yourself whole helping others PLEASE try to think of yourself luv ... GBY 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Poor baby feel better ❤️ you are loved. Don’t drink please! You are worth so much more than that!

his parents did not do right by him as a child* (only bc it really matters here)

@@TheEuskon ummmm sarcasm !!!🤨

I have friends and neighbors that do a lot more.

He has to want help. As long as he chooses to drink, it's his choice.

his mother failed him

I am also an alcoholic and I thought wow that was me drinking all day, drinking at night, and first thing in the morning repeat the cycle all over again. Glad I am sober now and don't have to live like that anymore.

exactly what I was thinking. Used to hit that Steel Reserve quite a bit, especially when I lived in Socal.

As an alcoholic I thought the exact same thing. Dirt cheap 8%

@@sswcustomsewing4276 it's a horrible cycle. I feel like I've lost the choice anymore. 😢 Im 51 and between the daily/nightly beer and smoking, I'm feeling it. I swore I wouldn't drink yesterday. Even took a nap after eating lunch. I woke up and like a zombie, headed for a beer. I really don't like AA. I do admit it works. I had 8 months one time! I admire people who break free from this. I do custom sewing as well. (Boats, patio cushions). I could be so much more if I didn't drink. The motivation just isn't there when Im trying to recooperate. Bless you!😇I've noticed your kind comments to others! One day, I hope to help others find a way out, after I do that for me.

@@talulatree5297 What I did was change stuff that I do. For years it was metal fabrication, engines, custom paint, and lots of mechanical. I just found different things that appealed to me that I always had an interest in. Sewing being one of those I never thought I would ever be doing it. I do boat stuff and cushions too I swear if you say you don't or don't want to more of those sewing projects come around haha. AA is not for everyone. By no means am I slamming AA yet it is not a social hub or club like some people try to make it into is why I see many people not liking it. AA its very simple, it is there to help people get sober, get out there in the world, live a better life, practice honesty, and live not live in the rooms. The drama of the rooms it can have gets really old or just makes people who even like it say nope not attending or participating. Only requirement is a desire to stop drinking that is it. The rest of it nobody has to do, nobody should feel forced to do anything or told to ever its not like that its just a lot of suggestions yet there are lots of other groups, programs, and such for us alcoholics thankfully. Right on you doing custom sewing I always find it funny how so many people think of it as a occupation that not many men do. Myself I have never said or will ever say I have quit drinking or swore I wouldn't drink because in my mind it just doesn't make sense to me. I look at it like a stop sign I can choose to stop at the stop sign today. If its a left hand turn on a hill with a foot clutch jockey shift bike it can be a bit hairy especially without a front brake yet I just choose to stop then make the turn. People tell me I have quit or kicked it I say absolutely not. I could easily go from over 8 years to just today I am no different than anybody else. 8 months is awesome yet just for right now or today is really awesome for all of us. I believe that you will find a way and inspire another person. I really appreciate you taking the time, sharing with me, and Thank you for your kindness.

Profound advice

that's just what I was thinking, who knows, he might have some relatives out there or better yet, his dad might still be alive...

That’s the sad truth isn’t it. From day one he was pretty much screwed. Wonder what he could have been.

He seems like he’d be a truck driver driving a big rig. They make bank too.

I miss my dog.

Laura, Thank you for helping me stay sober today. Thank you for sharing here and being of service. Ever make it to Oregon I would buy you a cup of coffee. If Rodney was where I am in Oregon or if I was where he is I would take a friend and go talk to him. If he wanted to go to a meeting I would pull out my phone and take him to a zoom AA meeting or find an open AA meeting and take him. When he said the pandemic how it made him feel it really hit me because I really like in person meetings because I get to see my fellows. Seeing another alcoholic suffering it always makes me remember we are all the same we feel it if we are alcoholics. As a group everyone has a little different story yet we can all relate because we have been there with alcohol. I pray to my higher power that someone who is seeing Rodney here please go talk to him, show him patience, love, kindness, and welcome him to come to a meeting because its never too late to start all over again. Im grateful that I was 12 stepped because I would be in prison, dead, or out there drunk again.

@@sswcustomsewing4276 You made my day! Thank you for taking the time to respond!! Never been to Oregon, may have to plan a vaca! Lol! What got me through the pandam without meetings was the podcast "Sobercast" it kept me going everyday listening to the amazing people that have been affected by this disease. God bless!! And I am rooting for you Rodney!!

@@popoff3283 Thank you so much. I will have to look up Sobercast I have never heard of it before. If you have any other podcasts or tips I would really like to hear them. I enjoy the zoom meetings I think they are great for everyone especially if its somebody's first meeting or someone returning. Plus I think the zoom meetings help people reach out and do more service work. Always great to hear from one of my fellows you take care and have a safe weekend.

🙏🏽💔😢

@@misssonyalee6159 TY, in January will be 3 years, still miss him ever day… a waste of his genius.

I agree! People shouldn't go broke from needing medical care, or choose not to get treatment because of costs. Health insurance for everyone regardless of income

Sorry about your mom. God bless you 🌺

So sorry from Nashville

Exactly, lots of comments on here about why isn't he getting help. They don't seem to realize he has to choose help. He's choosing to drink. No doubt been offered help many times...