My first exposure with an individual dealing with addiction was my mother and the addiction was alcohol. My mother’s dependence on alcohol took center stage after her divorce with my father. What was once just a simple drink to help relax her mind soon developed into consumed her life, money, and time with her children. I was unaware that the reason why she relied heavy on alcohol was due to self-medicate her underlying bipolar disorder. Unfortunately I was too young to offer any help or truly understood the severity of her dependence was since she keeps it a secret from my siblings and I. It was not until she underwent treatment for her bipolar disorder that she was able to get assistance in dealing with her alcohol dependence through support
