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When to give up?
Submitted by YYZ on
You have worked really hard to try and understand what is going on regarding how ADD affects your families lives. I give you a lot of credit and pats on the back for working to keep your family together :)
As the ADDer, I have seen good days and bad days, since my diagnosis just over two years ago, and have come to realize that many of our issues were not really due exclusively to my ADD. I know some of my behaviors certainly contributed to the problems and I have been working hard to improve in these areas. I know my DW has seen changes in me and it probably took some adjusting to, would the improvements last? I am the same guy basically, but also quite different since removing myself from the oblivious ADD fog. ADD is my condition and my DW has battled depression that come with dealing with childhood traumas and all the stress that comes with marriage, parenthood and the corporate world. So we each have owned our weaknesses and time seems to be helping in the re-building of trust in our relationship, along with a little better communication from me. This alone must be a shock for my DW to deal with... She used to have to handle both sides of our arguments. I'm not really sure what has happened to us lately, but things are beginning to level out for us and life is starting to feel a little more "Normal" and it feels good. I hope this keeps building, because it has been a long time since it has felt this way.
As for giving up... I think it comes down to how we treat each other, regardless of our conditions that each of us have to deal with on a daily basis. Abusive behavior is unacceptable in my opinion, no matter the root cause. There seem to be angry people on both sides of the ADD relationship, but if both people in the relationship are not working to let go of the anger and move on for the greater good, the alternative is the never ending roller coaster cycle. I hope things improve for you :)
YYZ
Thanks yyz. Yes thats key-
Submitted by lululove on
Hang in there...
Submitted by YYZ on
Keep your chin up... You should not feel ashamed for working hard to keep your family together. There are a bunch of supporters out here to lean on.
YYZ
I will answer your questions
Submitted by SherriW13 on
I will answer your questions from my own non-ADHD perspective..
1. what is best for the kids is to get them out of the chaotic and unhealthy environment where their father is out running all over town, coming home and sometimes being physically violent to their mother...and others just being downright mean. We fool ourselves, somehow, into thinking that somehow, someway the kids are OK. They aren't. I have living proof of that in my daughter. The main reason I'm not desperate to leave at this point is because we are not fighting for the most part (NEVER in front of her) but I have made a promise to myself and by God I will keep it..if it ever gets to that point again, we will separate. I will not put my children through that again. If he's getting enough sleep, he's usually quite friendly and nice to everyone. If he pulls an all nighter (working..in the den) we avoid him like the plague. I know it isn't ideal...but it is better than the constant fighting and drinking and laying out all night like he used to do. It got physical one time...in the 14 years we've been together...us wrestling over a cell phone...and my baby girl is STILL afraid to go anywhere and leave me alone with him if he's 'in a bad mood' she is terrified he will hurt me. I am NOT afraid of him AT ALL. What that did to her, I am beyond ashamed of myself for. NEVER again. Please don't pretend that your children aren't being brutalized by his behaviors...they are...even if not directly.
2. what is best for you is that you find peace in your life and you make your home as calm and happy as possible. If you cannot do this with him there (and God knows I couldn't manage it if my husband were doing what yours is...and there was a time when he did ALL of it...short of the physical violence) then you need to make him leave. When I asked my husband to leave in Sept of 09 it was very hard, but he was behaving in a way that was more painful than him leaving...drinking, never being home if I was, laying out all night, lying about staying with his dying mother, treating me like absolute garbage...so the lesser of two evils was to make him leave.
3. what is best for him is up to him to decide..but at this point, he's not considering anyone but himself...his ADHD is so out of control that he cannot see past his own nose...so this is where what is best for you and your children comes first. His drinking is most likely making his ADHD much worse...I know it does my husband's. He is the most evil, nasty person after he drinks (not while, but the next day). He needs to hit rock bottom.
You have to reach your limit...and your limit should be reached a lot quicker when considering the damage being done to your children. I know that I would walk away for the sake of my children a lot quicker than I would walk away for my own sanity.
Drinking...
Submitted by YYZ on
I have felt from the beginning of my treatment that drinking was a BAD idea. My Adderall has had such a good affect on my behavior and when I drink I feel like I'm going straight back to ADD-Land and I don'y like it. I may have a beer or two in a social setting, but that's about it. Alcohol does not seem to go well with ADD. Before I knew about my ADD, I learned a long time ago that my worst behavior happened when I was drinking heavily. Imagine all the ADD traits, bad time-awareness, low self esteem, living in the now and so on... Alcohol makes these all worse and adds the lovely traits of being drunk too.
Sherri... You are so right about the kids. I was never violent or a drunk, but I used to get mad and yell more and for that I am so ashamed. I did not yell That often, but that makes it even worse I think because of the contrast. 90% Jekyl and 10% Hide. We talk about it from time to time about not seeing "Mad Dad" very often anymore. Good riddance to That Guy...
YYZ
The "funny" thing is that his
Submitted by lululove on
Thank you Sherri, for
Submitted by lululove on