A family guide to addiction and recovery
Do you have a family member or loved one who you are worried is using substances, and feel powerless to do anything about it? You may find yourself asking questions like “Did I cause the addiction? How could I have been so blind? Is there any hope? How can I help him or her get well? Is it possible to find peace of mind?”
Behind almost every person struggling with addiction, there is a family member—parent, grandparent, sibling, spouse, or another—who suffers too. Witnessing a loved one’s addiction is both a heart-rending and bewildering experience. Feelings of anger, guilt, sadness, and fear combine with desperation and helplessness, leaving you at times in a state of both panic and emotional paralysis.
Worse still, you might feel as if it is your fault, even as you are at a loss to fix it.
Despite their suffering, the family of the addicted love one too often remains a hidden victim of addiction, rarely receiving the support that matches their anguish.
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