They Were Making It Okay To Talk About The Disease
When he first started drinking, I had absolutely nowhere to turn to except Al-Anon meetings, and for me, they were really depressing. Hearing about divorce, death, and tragedy made me feel even more hopeless. While I appreciated the resource, I often left, sometimes feeling worse than when I arrived.
Then one night, I came upon this series called “Mom.” It’s a TV series that just ended that addresses the chaos of alcoholism. It’s about a group of recovering alcoholics that come together in Al-Anon meetings, and share their stories. When I first began watching it, I couldn’t believe they were talking about all the things that I was experiencing- and they were making it okay to talk about.
A few minutes later, they made a joke out of the chaos, and I laughed. I caught my breath and myself as I covered my mouth with my hand, shocked I had the gall to laugh at a disease. Then a few minutes later, they made me laugh again. I couldn’t stop myself. I was glued to the fact that these women were sharing about the crazies, the chaos, and the degree of alcoholism. They gave me permission to be a part of something that at the time, was taboo.
Every Thursday at 9 pm from that point on, I couldn’t wait to tune in, because I felt like someone finally got me. They were able to make a comedy series about a serious disease, and make me feel normal for all I was going through.
Sometimes Laughter Is The Only Medicine.
The point is, it’s okay to allow yourself to laugh. It’s okay to call a spade a spade- this disease brings chaos- and it’s important to call it exactly what it is. Do what you need to do to feel normal- and this may look differently for everyone.
What I learned was how much I was missing finding humor, and the importance of a good belly laugh. They say “laughter is the best medicine,” and I will say the moment I allowed myself, and gave approval to call a spade a spade and laugh out loud about what I couldn’t control, was the moment stress started to seep out of my body. It was like it was a slow release, like a water faucet, letting go of all the pent up internal anxiety, worry, and stress I was feeling, but didn’t think I could share or be authentic about.
They Weren’t Afraid to Talk About the Truth of This Disease
The evening the series ended, and I finished the finale, I just began to cry. I was so sad I felt a group of my friends were leaving, because they weren’t afraid to talk about the truth of this disease, and I needed that so much. I needed to feel like I belonged, that someone got me.
To this day, I still tune in to reruns of this series. Even though I’ve seen each episode probably a half dozen times, it still brings comfort, sanity, and humor.
It’s okay to laugh. It’s okay to release. It’s okay to be human.
If you are looking to feel like people “get you,” and you need a place to belong, look no further than VoicesInCourage. This is a safe place to find people just like you, who allow you to breathe, speak, and even laugh amongst life tragedies that we hold no control over.
VoicesInCourage launches Fall 2021.