When the alcoholic is accusing, cursing, raging, dominating, manipulating, or controlling, it makes "detachment with love" seem almost impossible.
But I have discovered this little trick to help me detach in times like those.
I remind myself that if the screaming alcoholic was a wino on the street who walked up to me and said all those things, I wouldn't give it a second thought. If it was a bum on the street, I would give their words no credibility whatsoever!
I Do Not Have to Accept the Words
So, if I can just mentally picture the alcoholic in my face as a street bum, it helps me to remember that there really is no difference! A drunk is a drunk! The disease is no respecter of persons. It helps me to realize that I do not have to accept those words as the truth.I can just smile and say, "Thanks for sharing, but that doesn't make it true!"
-- BuddyT
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