Addiction is a family disease. The most recent data suggests that 1 in 3 families have a loved one who struggles with drug or alcohol addiction. People who love alcoholics and addicts suffer just as much, if not more, than the addict themselves. Addiction has a hold so powerful, subtle and confusing, that it threatens to destroy the very fabric of life. It’s terrifying! And it’s painful and frustrating to watch. One cannot imagine why, when a substance like drugs or alcohol causes such pain, the alcoholic or addict would continue to use it. Why not just give it up?
Families have to recover together, and that’s good news because everyone in the family has been suffering. As you walk the path of your own recovery, you will be introduced to the freedom that comes from your own powerlessness. You will learn to depend on a power greater than yourself and find others who are successfully taking back their own lives while supporting their loved one in a way that is both loving and successful.
There are many resources available for the family members of addicts and alcoholics, including Alanon, a 12 step program specifically dedicated to reaching out to the loved ones of alcoholics. We are here to help, and we are glad to talk to your family and help you find the resources you need to begin rebuilding your life.
