My oldest daughter, Monique, died suddenly in December. It has been a difficult time, especially on top of the death of a son earlier in the year.

As a parent I can’t help but ponder the "why" question.

I wrote an article, Grieving the Death of a Child. The article is about grieving, not about alcohol use and abuse, although the latter may have been involved.

Dr. Neill Neill

Part Three of the Functioning Alcoholic

There is a third critical factor to bear in mind when questioning the functioning of a so-called "functioning alcoholic." The first factor to consider was whether the alcoholic is functioning generally in life, or just in one aspect of life, like his job. The second factor was whether the alcoholic in achieving his potential and pursuing his dreams, not just getting by.

The third factor has to with how long the "functioning," at whatever level, can last in the presence of alcoholism.

More on Can the Functioning Alcoholic Last?