Drankduivel - Drinking devil - Animated interview - English subtitles available

I have a very special relationship with my parents. That's because my father is a very heavy alcoholic, and that's had a very big impact on my life. There were periods where my father was good, but there were also many periods where my father was drinking, and then suddenly the situation at home changed. Then I was no longer the child that was with the parents, but then I was suddenly the one who had to arrange and take care of everything, because then my mother needed me. And then my evenings were occupied with searching my father in cafes... When he came home I had to keep watch, so I'd lay in my bed and then I had to watch out that he'd not harm my mother, because he'd become aggressive. So I stayed awake all the time to hear which conversations they had, or whether something happened, because if I noticed that it was getting louder or that he changed tone, then I'd go to the toilet so that they'd calm down, so they'd hear "oh, our Ann is awake". I have to admit, and I say this very honestly, I still have the best dad. I actually kind of compare it with a little devil, so you have my father who is normal, and my father who is possessed by this little devil, and when the devil is there, that's a "drinking devil", then he's a different person. You cannot compare him with my father. And this "drinking devil" is not to be reasoned with. So if you say "please stop" ... ... he answers "screw you". So the only thing you can do, when he's drinking, is to just ignore him. And to just go, continue with your life, that's the biggest punishment you can give them. Because you do see someone... someone... is alcoholic, you want to help them, you see they're hurting themself, you see they're destroying themself, you also know they won't be coming home at times, so it's a normal and natural reflex to want to help that person but that's not possible at that moment, and then you have to be able to live with yourself People don't understand alcolism. Don't understand that he's a great dad who's just sick. And to escape from the world, that he needs alcohol to numb his mind. But he's not a bad person. If you understand that, then you can come to terms with it. If you then see your father in that state, then you say "right, that's not my father" that's that "drinking devil", that's not my father".