DEAR ABBY: I am writing to you as a last resort. I am 14 and come from a very good family, with one exception -- my mother. She is an alcoholic. She drinks every day from noon until she goes to bed at night. I recently went to counseling because I tried to kill myself. I am starting to have those feelings again.
Mother casts me aside when she is drunk. I feel as though there is nothing left for me to live for. I want to go back into counseling, but I am afraid I will hurt my parents' feelings.
Please give me some advice, Abby. -- ALONE AND DEPRESSED
DEAR ALONE AND DEPRESSED: If you are feeling depressed and suicidal, your parents' "feelings" are the last thing you should be worrying about. Call the counselor you were seeing before and schedule an appointment. Then tell your father what you have done -- and why.
I'm sorry to say you are not the only teenager in this sad situation. Alcoholics Anonymous has a sub-organization for children of alcoholics. It's called Alateen. It's listed in most phone books or you can call the information operator. Please don't wait to contact the organization. Once you do, you will discover you are not alone with this problem, and you'll be given the support and information you deserve.