[Fordrus]

"It didn’t cure his depression, any more than you can cure a werewolf by ripping out his fangs."

I don't have the same issues as the author's father, but I've often thought of almost exactly this analogy when treating my own issues. The idea sometimes is to make the condition tolerable, and at least for me, that would be the first order of business upon learning I was a werewolf: to remove my ability to harm others while wolf-ified. This is a tremendous article, I love it and I'm going to save it and maybe read it with my dad - not because my dad is like your dad, OP, but more because a few of your experiences line up really well with a few of ours. I'll read it with my wife too, because the story of how you remember your dad when you were young - I want to be that kind of Dad to my son. So, so, so much. Except without the later issues and whatnot. I do wonder just how possible it is, but I intend to give it a shot! :)