Photo Credit: Davood Madadpoor
A mother wrote to me: I am learning to open my eyes to my son’s addiction and my place in it. Stay Close is what my intuition always told me. There are few resources for parents and most of them are written in a clinical fashion. A professional point of view serves a purpose, but in my most horrible moments of despair, when I feel most lost, I need to hear another mother’s voice to help me feel less alone.
My reflection: There are many families struggling with the same issues and that is why Al-Anon and other family groups help. There we can learn through conversations, shared experiences and literature how to approach the addict with better understanding. We also learn how to protect ourselves and other members of our families.
Today’s Promise: We are not alone, but we often feel alone. Addiction isolates us and we feel shameful and lost. Family groups like Al-Anon are a source of help. Today, I will reach out my hand in compassion and understanding. Today, I will accept help.
I always felt if you share your story that it helps. Most of the time the person you share with has addition in their family. I was always open sometimes to open But that’s what worked for me.
Love reading these!!! Just reading let’s you know you are not alone!! Amen!!!
I found my own recovery in Families Anonymous. This support group is a 12 step program and very similar to Al-Anon but it is specific to parents of addicted children. They have some exceptional literature and all literature is written with a parents perspective. In addition, they have an online forum for parents which I found to be life saving during my darkest times with my addicted child. familiesanonymous.org