Alcoholic Charlene begins detox

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Mon, 10 Sep 2012 7:00p.m.

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We get the contents of her recycling bin out in the open. There are 26 bottles, and another one open in the house. That is around eight days worth.

We get the contents of her recycling bin out in the open. There are 26 bottles, and another one open in the house. That is around eight days worth.

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15/10/2012 4:19:51 p.m.

Charlene wrote:

@ FIONA Can you please get in contact with me? My email is charlenemary@xtra.co.nz. You know what I want to thank you for.

16/09/2012 12:11:20 a.m.

Cynthia Gildea wrote:

What a joke that ewen MacDonald is my son set fires which involved 20 other kids at a valve of 180,000.00 he got 26,000.00 rep plus 6000.00 court cost on the last court hearing and 24 months in custory include home d but the only winner was the legal aid lawyer the justice system is an arse in nz.my son was on $13.50 per hour he now has three children and is still paying a hundred dollars a week the kids don't eat a good diet cause they are still paying for dads crime

15/09/2012 7:03:17 p.m.

sarah wrote:

good luck Charlene :-)

12/09/2012 4:20:01 p.m.

Dorothy wrote:

I have been sober almost 25 years, and when i saw the information being given to the still suffering alcoholic or to one new in recovery, I was livid! The message in New Zealand is "Learn to control your drinking". If an alcoholic could control his/her drinking, they would not be an alcoholic but a social drinker. Every alcoholic has tried to "control" their drinking in some way: drinking only on weekends, after 5am, never in the morning. These tactics may work for a short term, but since alcoholism is a progressive disease, these strategies will stop working. Alcoholics do not have the "stop switch". Once an alcoholic starts drinking, you never know if the amount will be one or 15 drinks. The only "control" that an alcoholic has is whether or not to take that first drink. Period. I've been in AA rooms for 25 years, and I have never seen anyone return and announce that they have learned to "control their drinking". This is harmful and erroneous information to be sending to a binge drinking culture. Alcoholism is a shame based disease, and I have yet to meet one who has not tried to "control" their drinking in some fashion. They were unsuccessful.And yet that is the message that is being delivered: "control your drinking". Alcoholics Anonymous is not frequently mentioned here; alchoholism counseling is. But it takes one to know one, and no one knows another alcoholic like someone who has already done the hard yards.

12/09/2012 10:18:54 a.m.

Christine wrote:

Too bad she couldnt do it. But I know it takes alot of guts to do but if sumone really wants to kick the habit they can do it, but it got to start with you. You cant expect people to do it for you cos it doesnt work like that. Really i dont feel sorry for her, but she gonna be like a walking bomb if she continues on. I hope that if she does do detox again she gotta mean it and not lip read and think and do it.

11/09/2012 9:23:19 p.m.

hugh wrote:

hey i have had addiction to alcohol she said she tried aa but didnt like it try going to different meeting until you find a meeting you like aa has helped me to livestop drinking for three years i now with the help of fellow aa people i have a chance at life long sobreity

11/09/2012 8:33:32 p.m.

kirk wrote:

Im an alcohoic,coming up 5 years sober soon,hardest thing i ever did was give up my best friend the drink.I dug a big hole,lost my home,business,wife & friends,to the stage i wanted to take my own life. there is help if you want it & its free! If your an alcoholic like me you will not be able to control it, eg only on fridays or only a 6 pack,it just doesnt work.stopping is the easy part,staying stopped is where the work begins. yon need support,I tried AA,did i like,no,is it working,yes,do i stil go,yes, because im kirk & im a alcoholic & i must never forget it.Im ok about being an alcoholic today & not making those same mistakes over & over like i did when i was using. Surport is the key for alcoholics,you need surport from other alcoholics in AA who have been just where you are right at this moment.

11/09/2012 8:12:58 p.m.

David wrote:

Hey “Todd”, will power is not the answer; by definition an alcoholic is a person who has lost the ability to control their drinking, no amount of willpower will restore that. And to anyone reading this; let’s not jump to conclusions about what Charlene might or might not have done in the past in her attempts to recover from her disease. For me there are 2 big questions – 1. What is Charlene going to do from here, and how is she going to be supported in that? Sadly the answer to that lies with Charlene, she must choose her pathway, and she will either do that by default and continue on as is; or she will accept help to change. Ironically when an alcoholic is at their weakest and most vulnerable and helpless they have to find the courage to change if they are to live and recover. 2. What is New Zealand as a nation going to do to recognise and counter the booze culture that is debilitating a significant proportion of our people and costing our society billions of dollars in health spending and lost opportunity for our economy? Already we see experts like Doug Sellman sidelined and largely ignored because they speak an uncomfortable and inconvenient truth. Thank you to Campbell Live and TV3 for having the courage to tackle this story in a serious and unsensational way, just a simple story honestly told. I have walked Charlene’s pathway, drunk like her and felt the feelings and pain she is currently experiencing. I have been sober now for eighteen years, one day at a time. I have the respect of my family and friends, am an active member of my community, I am employable and pay taxes. And I value and take care of myself. I will always be an alcoholic but I now have the opportunity to be a sober one. I am grateful for a health system that did not write me off 18 years ago, and the support of a caring community. And I am not unique, I know there are thousands of others in New Zealand like me, and many thousands more who could be.

11/09/2012 8:07:23 p.m.

helen wrote:

please try harder u still have good times ahead 2 spend with those who are still in your life you went on tv 2 get help you have got that try harder dont make your very courageous public confession be wasteful u have the number1 chance to help lots of others in same situation by your courage please do it girl

11/09/2012 8:05:23 p.m.

Peter Rodenhurst wrote:

There is an answer Charlene, I was an alcoholic for thirty years, with all that that entails. February 1988, in desperation and last hope, I gave my life to Jesus and became a born again Christian. The minute I did this, I was instantly set free from the dominace of alcohol, no withdraws of any kind. I just knew, that I knew, that I knew it was all over. Since then, even though I have gone through many traumatic experiances, I have not had the thought, or desire, for an alcoholic drink. Charlene, give up, give it to Jesus, and He will do the business.If you feel I can help, please contact Cambell Live for my email address.