Do you think it's funny to joke about one's past or current addiction? Part 1

Perth, Australia
April 8, 2019 3:45am CST
The other day I mentioned in my post that I'm feeling pretty hostile towards some of my family members and that I would explain why later on. I will explain a little bit about why I'm angry with my Aunty. As much as I love her, she can often make me feel awful! I've put up with quite a lot from her and other family members but I will just speak about her right now. I won't speak about all she has said or done right now. But I will talk about her in regards to the drinking problems I had. Many years ago, I had a phase ( about 3 months ) of drinking every single day. No matter what I had going that day and no matter what time, I'd drink. Even going to work a bit tipsy. And I'd do it alone without anyone knowing about it. I was doing it due to a lot going on in my life. Trying to deal with my mum's death, past family traumas, but I think most of it was because I had a person in my life who was making me miserable. Someone who was abusive towards me. Mainly mental abuse but there was some physical. I also kept that secret while it was happening and a couple years after I finally got away from him. So I drank. I wasted so much money and I was sick every now and then. So it wasn't for fun. It was to feel some type of happy emotion since being sober was full of sadness and pain. Being drunk made me happy but sometimes it would switch to feeling sad and a tad suicidal. My dad eventually found out. He found a lot of bottles ( empty and full bottles ) hidden in my closet or laying around my room. I am now very open about it with him. Some time after that I still drank but not every day. Almost every time my Aunty and I went out or if family got together, I'd drink. I do it every Christmas day too when I'm with them. Over time my drinking became less and less but something was and is still there inside me. Just every now and then I really want a drink to feel tipsy. Anyway my Aunty, almost every single time would make fun of me calling me an alcoholic. In a "fun, teasing" sort of way to which I've never even cracked a smile. Never laughed once. One day, my Aunty and I went to the movies and then shopping. She put her arm around me and said "Your father told me you really did have a drinking problem. If I had known that I never would have made fun of you." I felt so happy that she understood and wouldn't do it again. But the very next day....when my family and I got together for breakfast my Aunty said "I know you really had a problem but I'm going to make fun of you anyway." I will never forget that. How low she made me feel. To mock me about the darkest times in my life. It's not just about a "drink." Those "drinks" were a band aid. To cover up the past, worries and issues that I didn't know how to handle otherwise. I will leave this one here right now and make a part 2. Would love to know your opinion about this so far as well as the question in the title. Thank you for reading.
6 people like this
6 responses
@garymarsh6 (24114)
• United Kingdom
8 Apr 19
Your auntie is a mean spiteful nasty person. I would have very little to do with her if I were you. She should be offering support not ridicule.
3 people like this
• Perth, Australia
8 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 I had to read out your comment to my dad and he agrees with you. He too has his own stories of nasty things she has said or done to him so he agrees with you. My dad is like me. We both love my Aunty but we are tired of the horrible things being said that isn't needed to be said by her.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24114)
• United Kingdom
8 Apr 19
@VivaLaDani13 I am glad your dad is on your side. It might be a good idea for both of you to see her one day and spell it out to her! She won't like it I am sure or maybe she is just not aware how much she is hurting you. If she is not aware then she needs to know this! Good luck. Your dad seems a great guy!
1 person likes this
• Perth, Australia
8 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 My dad is getting pretty close to snapping with her because she has been putting him through panic mode due to his foot. Long story but yeah she is really getting on my dad's nerves. I'm not sure if talking to her would fix things. I would love to think so but she's one of those people who you tell her like it is but she will still act the way she sees it.
1 person likes this
@Sojourn (13833)
• India
8 Apr 19
Sorry but I feel that your aunt is mean minded. She plays with others' emotions.
2 people like this
• Perth, Australia
8 Apr 19
@Sojourn No need to feel sorry. As much as I love my Aunty, what you said is very true and it's wrong of her to do this. Thank you very much for reading. Appreciate it. I did a part 2 if you're interested in reading the rest of the story.
2 people like this
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
8 Apr 19
Moving to the part 2
1 person likes this
• Perth, Australia
8 Apr 19
@Sreekala Thank you so much for reading!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502886)
• Italy
8 Apr 19
Your aunt is not a good person, she is mean, she takes pleasure in hurting you. Having fun of people who have a problem is something nobody should ever do. At least your Dad was at your side.
1 person likes this
• Perth, Australia
9 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Thank you very much for reading this and answering. There is definitely something up with her and I have been trying to work out for many years why she is the way she is but I'm giving up. She hurts my mental health a bit way too much for me to wonder anymore.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502886)
• Italy
9 Apr 19
@VivaLaDani13 She has a childish attitude, but she is a bully. She will never change, avoid to see her. I know this kind of people, they take pleasure harassing.
1 person likes this
• Perth, Australia
9 Apr 19
@LadyDuck Childish is definitely a good word! My dad and I recently used that word about her. She is helping out taking my dad to the doctors and things so she's not completely harmful! BUT, some of her bad outweighs the good. But every single time she takes him, she has said at least one thing to him that makes him feel panicked or angry.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
12 Apr 19
She sounds horrible, you needed support, not to be mocked
1 person likes this
• Perth, Australia
13 Apr 19
@jaboUK Exactly right! It's quite a disgusting a morbid way to treat someone. I don't understand her at all sometimes.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112933)
• United States
27 Sep
One of the steps in recovery is having a sense of humor about your problem. But of course, it is the context with which the humor is presented that does change things.