Hi Jds
I hope you felt better for seeing the counsellor – are you going to see him again?
I suggest you write down what you want to say to your father and also make notes about that which you don’t want to say. His addiction will not want to hear what you are saying and he will probably use all his powers of manipulation to get you to do what he wants. Be ready to say what you want to say and then end the conversation – don’t be afraid.
The reason that your father wants you to keep putting up with him is because active CGs play for time – every reprieve he gets, however small, is time he can use to gamble. When you talk to him I hope you will be able to recognise when it is his addiction that is speaking.
It is hard to say ‘no’ to a CG especially when it is your father – Twilight understands all that you have written – she also found it very, very hard to say ‘no’ to her father but it wasn’t until she did that she retook control of her life. I hope you found her posts to you comforting.
I totally agree that it is time that you got help from your family but the only person that can change your life is ‘you’.
The following words are said at the end of every GA and Gamanon meeting – Gamanon is the support group for the families of CGs and is the sister group to GA
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And Wisdom to know the difference.
Well done on the progress you are making. Speak soon
Velvet
