Need help with my dad...

[idNut]

My dad was laid off from his job of 23 years about 6 months ago and I believe his way of coping with it is buying large amounts of food. Today he bought $300 worth of groceries and now we have food pouring out of our fridge, freezer and cabinents. He's been unemployed for 6 months and just lounges around all day wasting his severence pay money on either food or eBay junk. I think he buys all this food to keep me fat since he is. He knows I like DiGiorno pizza for LANs so today he buys five more to contribute to the two we already had in the freezer. My mom has put up with this for the entire marriage of 22 years. He is very kept to himself and doesn't admit he has a problem but he's driving me and my mom insane with his stupidity. Thank God he isn't addicted to drugs or alcohol but rather just buying things. I don't know what to do. I've asked my psychologist but he hasn't given me any real good advice. I'm very serious about this and I'm looking for some idea that may reverse this frenzy of buying.

 

[vi edit]

I think it's safe to say that the only sound advice you are going to hear from this place is to get his ass into some kind of therapy.

 

[slycat]

get him a job...or a hobby...something time consuming kind of hobby...not related to 'buying stuff' obviously..
also, get him to exercise...some kind..he needs to kill time..and get tired. if he's tired..he won't be buying crap.

tell him u have a problem...get him to help u instead..that might throw him off...kind of thing.
kinda reverse psych.

also check them bags..or make excuse to ask for receipts...and when he's not around...go back to return all the
food he bought.

 

[xirtam]

Get NetNanny and ban ebay.

 

[agnitrate]

Get him interested in computers so he will start buying you lots of new hardware 😀

Seriously though, I'd talk to him. Is he looking for a job? That could be one thing to do that would get him motivated. Tell him he should be out looking for work and then I'll be he'll clean up pretty nicely since you have to try to look somewhat kempt when going to interviews and such.

-silver

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: xirtam
Get NetNanny and ban ebay.

I've changed the password in eBay before but then he threatened me with taking away my car and sh!t. If I put NetNanny on, he'd totally know I did it since this is my computer.

He claims he's looking for a job but if he truly wanted one, he'd have it. I want to crack his skull.

 

[vi edit]

He's done this stuff FOR 22 YEARS. It's not a new event. Nothing reasonably simple is going to solve this. He sounds obsessive compulsive to some extent to me.

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
He's done this stuff FOR 22 YEARS. It's not a new event. Nothing reasonably simple is going to solve this. He sounds obsessive compulsive to some extent to me.

Yeah. He most definitely has that. I want him to go to a psychologist but he is so cynical that he would never reveal himself to anyone.

 

[d33pt]

hook me up with some grub man..i'm hungry

 

[idNut]

Update: He just bought me new headers for my car.

He is so whacked out of his skull that I could ask him to go buy me 20 bottles of Mt. Dew and he would obey. He doesn't listen to me unless I have a shopping list.

 

[AUMM]

Originally posted by: idNut
Update: He just bought me new headers for my car.

He is so whacked out of his skull that I could ask him to go buy me 20 bottles of Mt. Dew and he would obey. He doesn't listen to me unless I have a shopping list.

return em

 

[slydecix]

bump... I hope everything works out in the end

 

[MaxDSP]

take away his credit cards

 

[pinoy]

you and your mom should work together on this since its the 2 of you are mentally intact. Get help ASAP B4 it gets worse and while you guys still have funds/money saved.

GOOD LUCK!!!