Thank you so much Anne-Marie! I lost my mom to melanoma cancer 5 years ago and his drinking got worse than ever after that. My brother was arrested for assault and possession of controlled substance less than 3 months after her death. The stress of all that caused him to drink more and more just to deal with everything. He's not currently smoking through the trachae, that I know of, but he can't quit the alcohol. I was actually more concerned about him getting hooked on the pain meds after his surgery than him picking up drinking again.
Both of their addictions prompted me to go seek my own help dealing with it. I started attending a yoga/meditation class which GREATLY reduced the stress in my life and I made some really good friends. I am currently putting the finishing touches on my application to grad school. I'm seeking my Ph.D. in clinical psychotherapy with emphasis on addiction and also on grief and stress releif