Spoke too soon on the mouse front. Petunia is killing on right now. But I have mouse traps.

Sheryl, ltc lost most of her TV privileges for today last night for terrible behavior. So I feel you.

Go Petunia!

For askye: my sister was in a crowded store during the Christmas rush. One struggling employee was working her way through a backed up line of customers. This one guy got impatient and started yelling and insulting her for being slow and stupid. My sister, bless her heart, loudly told him to shut up and remember his manners. Guy got huffy and threatened to call the manager on her. Sister laughed and told him to go right ahead - she didn't work there and she'd like to see what would happen. All the customers laughed and the loudmouth turned bright red and kept quiet.

Love that story!

Gudanov, you really must talk to some therapist-type person to put your mistakes in perspective. (I mean, I'm the one who was obsessing a good part of the night over something that I can't do anything about 15 years on.)

I think Petunia is a little upset I took the dead mouse away!

Gudnov people make mistakes. PLEASE PLEASE reach out to someone.

I'm on Facebook. IM me. Send me am email. I'm at work right now but if you need to vent or something send me a long vent IM and I'll respond as soon as I can

My brother's friend texted and said he's taking my brother to the hospital. Thank god. So now I get to tell my parents. (My brother really believed he could do an at-home taper with beer like he did when I was there in 2016, and it would go smoothly -- which it did in 2016 -- and he didn't want to tell our parents until he was done and on the sober side of this relapse, because our dad will be a dick about it and our mom will go full drama queen and make it about her, and he just couldn't deal with that while he was trying to get sober. So when my brother asked me to not tell our parents, I agreed, because he was right -- our parents would not have reactions that are supportive to him. But agreeing to not tell them was contingent on this whole at-home taper working out, which it clearly has not. Going to the hospital is the clear bright goddamn line where I call the parents. Which is going to suck.)

I'm relieved he'll be getting medical attention, but my stress level isn't any lower.

Gudanov: you are a good person! If you trust and believe the Buffistas, who have been your online home for so many years, can you trust our judgment of you? Even if we don't see everything that goes on, we see you catastrophizing and we know from that. '

If you were to give a gift to your friends and family this year, it would be to go get help. It is OKAY TO GET HELP. Mike Dukakis got help after he lost the presidential campaign! All sorts of famous and accomplished people get help -- it's one way they stay accomplished, because it helps them manage their emotions and their lives.

Please please please call someone, or log onto Better Help or one of the other online services.

Please take action, to help yourself, your kids, and even your wife.

Gudanov, all I can do is second, third and fourth everything everyone else is saying. As a veteran of decades of catastrophizing and self-blame, I promise you, from experience, that what you're telling yourself is untrue. As Consuela said, Better Help and many other resources, both free one-time options and longer courses of therapy with licensed clinicians, are available anytime.

You are better than this. You deserve better than this. So does your family, whom you love so much.

Steph, I just caught up on what's happening with your brother -- so sorry you've gone through the long-distance wringer with that. Serious detox needs serious medical attention, so I'm a bit relieved about that part.