Dear Logan,

Even though it is legal for adults, alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs on the planet. It can become very addictive and for recovering alcoholics it is often a lifelong challenge to maintain their sobriety. Long-term alcohol abuse often results in major physical and emotional health problems. Chronic alcoholics risk getting physical illnesses that can be life threatening. It is a very serious problem.

It sounds like your mom may have a significant dependency on alcohol. While she may not realize it, she needs help from a mental health addiction professional. Unfortunately, people with alcohol and other substance abuse issues can be resistant to treatment. In addition, family members often enable the person needing help by helping to hide the problem; often because there’s a lot of shame around it and the person with the addiction issue can put pressure on family members to keep his/her secret.

For all these reasons, the best thing you can do is let an outside professional know what’s going on. School staffs are trained in dealing with these issues. This is also true in terms of the hitting. Consider speaking to a trusted adult at your school. Your mom may be upset at first, but letting someone know is the best thing that you could do for your mom, yourself, and your family.