Resources for Practicing Drinkers:
Self-Assessment and Support:
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
◦ Provides information on alcohol use disorders, interactive tools to assess drinking patterns, and links to treatment resources.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): https://www.aa.org/
◦ Worldwide support group network for individuals struggling with alcohol problems. Offers meetings, sponsors, and resources for recovery.
• SMART Recovery: https://smartrecovery.org/
◦ Evidence-based, self-directed program for overcoming addiction and compulsive behaviors. Offers online tools, resources, and forums.
Professional Help:
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
◦ Provides a national helpline (1-800-662-HELP) for finding treatment facilities and services near you.
• American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/
◦ Offers a directory of psychologists who specialize in alcohol dependence and addiction.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on addiction treatment, prevention, and advocacy.
Resources for Family Members of Alcoholics:
Support and Education:
• Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/
◦ Mutual support group program for friends and families of alcoholics. Offers meetings, literature, and resources for coping with the effects of alcoholism.
• Families Anonymous: https://familiesanonymous.org/
◦ Support group for families and friends of those struggling with any form of addiction. Offers resources and understanding for dealing with loved ones' addictive behaviors.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on alcohol abuse and addiction, including resources for families and loved ones.
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/Home
◦ Offers support and resources for families and friends of individuals with mental illness, which can often co-occur with addiction.
Boundaries and Advocacy:
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
◦ Provides resources and support for victims of domestic violence, which can be exacerbated by alcohol abuse.
• The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://ncadv.org/
◦ Offers information and resources on domestic violence and how to help those affected.
• The National Family Caregiver Support Program: http://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers
Episode 211 - You Are Not Alone is definitely the most personal podcast episode I have ever done. It begins with the death this week of my sister - an extremely talented lady who had a substance abuse problem. The episode then briefly discusses Poe’s problems with alcohol - and his attempts to get help at the Shockoe Bottom Sons of Temperance. Covering a difficult topic for me to personally discuss, the overall purpose of this episode emphasizes the importance of getting help to deal with substance abuse problems, and ends with specific contact information regarding some the available resources.
Resources for Practicing Drinkers:
Self-Assessment and Support:
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
◦ Provides information on alcohol use disorders, interactive tools to assess drinking patterns, and links to treatment resources.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): https://www.aa.org/
◦ Worldwide support group network for individuals struggling with alcohol problems. Offers meetings, sponsors, and resources for recovery.
• SMART Recovery: https://smartrecovery.org/
◦ Evidence-based, self-directed program for overcoming addiction and compulsive behaviors. Offers online tools, resources, and forums.
Professional Help:
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
◦ Provides a national helpline (1-800-662-HELP) for finding treatment facilities and services near you.
• American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/
◦ Offers a directory of psychologists who specialize in alcohol dependence and addiction.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on addiction treatment, prevention, and advocacy.
Resources for Family Members of Alcoholics:
Support and Education:
• Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/
◦ Mutual support group program for friends and families of alcoholics. Offers meetings, literature, and resources for coping with the effects of alcoholism.
• Families Anonymous: https://familiesanonymous.org/
◦ Support group for families and friends of those struggling with any form of addiction. Offers resources and understanding for dealing with loved ones' addictive behaviors.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on alcohol abuse and addiction, including resources for families and loved ones.
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/Home
◦ Offers support and resources for families and friends of individuals with mental illness, which can often co-occur with addiction.
Boundaries and Advocacy:
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
◦ Provides resources and support for victims of domestic violence, which can be exacerbated by alcohol abuse.
• The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://ncadv.org/
◦ Offers information and resources on domestic violence and how to help those affected.
• The National Family Caregiver Support Program: http://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers
Welcome to Celebrate Poe - My name is George Bartley, and this is episode 211 - You Are Not Alone. I have been working hard and have the next four episodes ready to upload, but something occurred this week that has caused me to change my plans - and I’d like to address that situation on this podcast episode.
You see, a few days ago, my sister died - she had been ill for several years and was in a nursing home - She had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, as well as dementia. And she had been a practicing alcoholic. I can only imagine the pain that she went through when she was forced to stop drinking in the nursing home. (Rereading this, I feel strange talking about my sister in the past tense - when I first saw the phrase “before her death, my sister was” - my first reaction was a brief “well this must be someone else.”)
I try to think about the happier times - how my sister and I enjoyed the pony ride that my father took to local fairs - and how my father bought and installed the miniature railroad in the city park - of course to a kid in the early sixties, ponies and trains were about was just about as cool as you could get. By the way, the cover art for this podcast episode is a photograph of my sister and I riding one of those ponies. My father was an engineer for the C and O Railroad, and one of his occupational perks at that time was that the family got free railroad tickets to anywhere in the continental United States - so my sister and I have many wonderful memories such as the family relaxing on a Florida beach, going to the 1964 World’s Fair, riding the Matterhorn Bobsled at Disneyland, and seeing numerous Broadway Shows. My sister was incredibly talented, and was an excellent stage dancer with a great voice. I remember her going to a 4H talent competition, and for some reason, the pianist was unfamiliar with her music. When it was announced that she would not be singing that particular number - I forget what it was - my heart sunk. She had practiced that number over and over, and I told myself that “it was so unfair.” She proceeded to sing a number that she had never sung before, and got first place in the state - a really big deal.
Now before I go any further, I do NOT want it to come across as though I am sensationalizing the situation or not treating it with respect - this episode is definitely the most personal one I have ever done. As of beginning of the year, Celebrate Poe has listeners in 79 countries, and if I can help just one person, then this will have definitely been well worth it -
But back to my sister -
In her teens, my sister started drinking - even though it would seem that alcoholism runs in my family. My grandfathers on both my mother’s and father’s sides were alcoholics - one night my mother’s father got drunk and gambled away his home, and my grandfather on my father’s side drank heavily and died in the local mental hospital.
My father was a kind and loving parent, but when he started drinking heavily after his retirement, he became a different person. In fact, he even burned down the house. Oh, I am not saying that he deliberately set out to set fire to the house, but he tried to fix the electricity with a group of his drinking buddies, and each time they would drink a great deal and pass out from all the liquor they had consumed. So the wires basically smoldered for several weeks until the house burst into flames. I later learned that their attempt to fix the electricity while heavily intoxicated was an example of the distorted judgment and risk-taking behavior associated with alcoholism.
Fortunately my father and mother were able to escape the fire.
My sister and brother-in-law also drank a great deal - and their wonderful daughter, Sarah, often ended up suffering the brunt of their outbursts and tirades. My brother-in-law died while still young largely due to complications related to alcohol. Sarah, by the way, was named for a relative also named Sarah who was a professor at Longwood University, and is one of the brightest and kindest people I have ever known. She called me yesterday, and told me about my sister’s death - that the funeral was scheduled for the following day.
But getting back to my sister and brother-in-law -
Amid all this chaos, it could be argued that they did the best they could - but in a haze of alcohol it is impossible to really enjoy life or cope with existence in any healthy way.
I know that one reason that I am doing this episode is to partially to clarify my thoughts and emotions. I was thinking today about such deeply serious issues as mortality, good, evil, and what will happen to her in an afterlife - about as serious as you can get. Of course, it would be pretentious to say that I know EXACTLY what will happen, but I can’t help but think that many of my sister’s harmful actions - actions that all too common to individuals with substance abuse problems - those actions are NOT choices that she willingly made - most current scientific theories show that the harmful substance is, in a sense, making the choices for the person - I am not certainly not saying this justifies hurtful actions - just that when a person is addicted to a harmful substance, that person often looses control and ceases to make good decisions.
Often a person reaches the stage where he or she believes, “Oh, I can handle it” - but that addict has become a slave to a substance that is - in the words of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous - “cunning, baffling, and dangerous.”
The local Al-anon - for children of alcoholics and those who love individuals with alcohol - has been especially helpful to me personally.
By the way, I probably am familiar with AA more than most people because I have interpreted for the various Deaf who attend AA meetings.
Of course, interpreting for the deaf is a profession where confidentiality is all important, but these AA meetings were in another part of the country, and I couldn’t tell you who the Deaf members were if my life depended on it.
As I write this, it really hit me - that the problems and challenges that my sister - and many of the other members of my family faced - could just have easily been the story of MY life - and writing this podcast has given me a sense of peace.
I sincerely hope that somehow through this podcast episode I might make a real difference in someone’s life. Writing this podcast has been an emotional journey for me, but I hope I can honor my sister's memory while helping others - to show others that you are not alone. Even reaching just one person can have a ripple effect, offering that person understanding, support, and hope in the face of their own or a loved one's struggle with addiction. And if you would like to write to me - my email is celebratepoe@gmail.com
I think it is very interesting that my sister - and many people in the creative arts - have problems with substance abuse. Of course, as I am sure you know, Edgar Allan Poe, definitely one of America’s greatest writers and an extremely creative person, had his own struggles with alcoholism. Apparently people in the 19th century drank a great deal more than us today because of poor water conditions. And the story is told that when a person like Edgar Poe was a baby, he was given a mixture of alcohol and laudanum (an opiate) when he started crying. I’m sure that caused him to go to sleep. But he did not have a chance - he would have been addicted as a child.
There are many stories about Poe’s challenges with alcohol - and future podcast episodes will definitely deal with them in more detail - but I think it is especially interesting that shortly before his death Poe is said to have joined the Shokoe Bottom Sons of Temperance in Richmond. The organization originally had a highly restricted membership. In order to become a member (called a “brother“), a man had to be nominated by an existing brother. Three other brothers would then investigate his life to determine if they thought he was worthy of membership. The Sons of Temperance required a US$2 initiation fee. The Sons of Temperance were very well organized - and Poe must have been really serious. Back then, the required $2 fee would be equal to the week’s wages of an ordinary worker.
I’d like to end this podcast episode with some resources that might be helpful to someone who is a practicing drinker, as well as resources for the members of the family of someone who is an alcoholic. I am including the resources at the beginning of the show notes and transcript for this episode at celebratepoe.gmail.com. so you don’t need to worry about copying them down. .And the resources are also at the end of the transcript - in other words, the script for this show.
These resources can offer a lifeline and help you navigate the challenges of addiction.
And remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Don't hesitate to reach out for support if you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol use.
Resources for Practicing Drinkers:
Self-Assessment and Support:
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
◦ Provides information on alcohol use disorders, interactive tools to assess drinking patterns, and links to treatment resources.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): https://www.aa.org/
◦ Worldwide support group network for individuals struggling with alcohol problems. Offers meetings, sponsors, and resources for recovery.
• SMART Recovery: https://smartrecovery.org/
◦ Evidence-based, self-directed program for overcoming addiction and compulsive behaviors. Offers online tools, resources, and forums.
Professional Help:
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
◦ Provides a national helpline (1-800-662-HELP) for finding treatment facilities and services near you.
• American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/
◦ Offers a directory of psychologists who specialize in alcohol dependence and addiction.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on addiction treatment, prevention, and advocacy.
Resources for Family Members of Alcoholics:
Support and Education:
• Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/
◦ Mutual support group program for friends and families of alcoholics. Offers meetings, literature, and resources for coping with the effects of alcoholism.
• Families Anonymous: https://familiesanonymous.org/
◦ Support group for families and friends of those struggling with any form of addiction. Offers resources and understanding for dealing with loved ones' addictive behaviors.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): https://ncadd.us/
◦ Provides information and resources on alcohol abuse and addiction, including resources for families and loved ones.
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/Home
◦ Offers support and resources for families and friends of individuals with mental illness, which can often co-occur with addiction.
Boundaries and Advocacy:
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
◦ Provides resources and support for victims of domestic violence, which can be exacerbated by alcohol abuse.
• The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://ncadv.org/
◦ Offers information and resources on domestic violence and how to help those affected.
• The National Family Caregiver Support Program: http://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers
◦ Provides resources and support for family caregivers, including those caring for loved ones with addictions.
Now in the previous episode, I talked a little bit about my background in Poe studies, and in the following episode I devote to my first encounter in a University of Virginia library with the imaginary ghost of Poe - I have updated the episode slightly, but I think it would be especially entertaining and informative for those of you who might be recent listeners to Celebrate Poe - things might make a bit more sense - especially when I talk with the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe. To quote the great writer - “the boundaries between life and death are at best shadowy and vague - who knows where one ends and the other begins.”
Sources include Evermore by Henry Lee Poe, The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Dwight R. Thomas and David K. Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography by Arthur Hobson Quinn, and the Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe.
Thank you for listening to Celebrate Poe.