Amanda
A Cautionary Tale
By Andrew Culkin
The Title of the book is “Amanda” however the truth is that it is also about the people who were around Amanda. Those who suffered along side her during her long and slow decline. Alcoholism is rarely a lonely disease. Lonely in the sense that it only affects the recipient. This is an accurate and raw depiction of all those who suffer in silence in the wake of alcoholism.
Step 1
There are many moving parts that need to be in place to create an alcoholic. There are many different levels and reasons for each individual cursed with this form of mental handicap. Factors such as hereditary tendency, environment, living situation, trauma, hardship, personality traits, age, sex and even cultural mores. We are still in the infancy of understanding the deepest roots to the problem of alcoholism, drug addiction and related mental health care issues.
Step 2
As we search for a more significant professional understanding my wish is that we create greater empathy as a society in the interim. Judgement in this case is a greater reflection on the judge than the defendant. Let us find ways to be emotionally less reactive and grow in our understanding of this scourge upon the human species.
Step 3
In Amanda’s case my wish is to find purpose in the life I spent with her. Purpose where it often seemed there was a life void of purpose.
I also want the experience of her life to have the ability to help others. Without a doubt every word of this book would have brought immense shame to her. She would have hated being exposed and poked and prodded. This in itself is a large part of the problem. A disease is not something that you can sweep under the carpet like an inconvenient truth. Alcoholism, drug addiction and other related mental health issues need to be discussed openly and honestly.
Amanda “A Cautionary Tale” is designed to further the conversation and find new and better approaches to combatting this plague that affects us all.
-Andy
Amanda "A Cautionary Tale of Alcoholism"
Community involvement is the whole point . Educating people on alcoholism as a mental health disease. I’m promoting a different perspective on how we observe a struggling alcoholic. Instead of being reactionary I want people to be proactive. Positive constructive conversation needs to take place instead of avoidance and ridicule.
The friend or family member who is struggling needs to know they have support instead of condemnation. The problem needs to be openly discussed instead of swept under the rug as if it will go away on its own. The shame and embarrassment of the alcoholic needs to be met with empathy and caring.
Alcoholism is not a rational disease but it needs to be identified as a disease and not as a choice by an amoral person. Alcoholics have no desire to be alcoholics any more than a cancer patient wishes to have cancer.
