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Tag: parent hoping you find recovery

5 Mantras that kept me sane during Charles’ addiction

When I was losing it and started to make myself crazy by projecting all kinds of scenarios that had not happened, I would pull out my phone and read my mantras out loud to myself. I picked these up from others and from the literature in Families Anonymous meetings over the years.

1. Enabling, rescuing or weaving a safety net blocks recovery

Figuring out what “enabling” is can be complicated. So whatever we had defined it at that time is what I went with. It was simply important not to default to rescue mode.

If he wrecked the car, he … Read more...

When your parents don’t understand addiction

by Melissa 

Coffee cup of inspiration

I have a smart, beautiful daughter. She was a lovely little girl and a successful student throughout high school and college.

She is also a person in long term recovery from a substance abuse disorder. She has struggled with depression and anxiety for years. It has been hard for me to understand.

Because I love her, I keep trying. I fail, I get frustrated, but I keep trying.

Our road to recovery has been long, winding and at times filled with anger, denial, enabling, fear and frustration. Through all of our negative responses and … Read more...

Letter to that child still struggling with addiction

wishbone

Dear Addiction Sufferer,

I want you to know that even though you are struggling, maybe even using, you are loved. That last time you relapsed, you think you saw disappointment on our faces.

But that’s not what that emotion was. It was not disappointment.

It was worry. Morbid fear. And helplessness.

We want to understand relapses are part of the disease and part of recovery. That’s so easy to say and we try. Emotionally we are crushed because we are afraid you are going to die. That fear never leaves us at any point. We watch friends of yours die. … Read more...