A weekly meeting of families affected by substance abuse
Reflections On My Son’s Addiction [Fear]
September 18, 2013
Among all of the emotional upheavals that invade the lives of families affected by substance abuse and addiction, FEAR is probably the most common. In all of my interactions with other families who have been impacted by this curse, it is the one universal feeling that just won’t go away. In many cases, FEAR is …..
Read MoreReflections On My Son’s Addiction [Delusion]
September 18, 2013
Delusion: n. 1. Being misled; deceived; 2. A false belief, specifically one that persists psychotically This is a very tough definition of a word that applies to many of us who are struggling with family members’ active addictions, treatments, behaviors, and circumstances. It is even more insidious than “denial” because it literally substitutes fantasy for …..
Read MoreReflections On My Son’s Addiction [Enabling vs Helping]
September 18, 2013
John C., 2007 The word “enable” has always had a positive connotation throughout my life. I remember learning as a child that donating to the March of Dimes could enable a crippled child to walk; paying taxes would enable the government to provide infrastructure and fund the defense of our country; a donation to the …..
Read MoreReflections On My Son’s Addiction [Where Were The Parents?]
September 18, 2013
John C., 2007 It was just another Monday evening after a hard day at work. Dinner was over and it was time to take a look at today’s newspaper and spend a little quiet time in “decompression mode.” There were all the usual national headlines and stories, a piece on road construction and when we …..
Read MoreReflections On My Son’s Addiction [Foreword]
September 18, 2013
John C., 2007 I will never forget the shock, fear; grief and guilt that my wife and I felt the day we discovered our 14-year-old son had a drug problem. We were literally paralyzed by the circumstances into which we had suddenly been thrust. Nothing in our lives had prepared us for the journey we …..
Read MoreSurviving and Thriving During the Holidays with an Addicted Child
September 18, 2013
My first order of action is to enter into the season with no expectations. In Alanon they have a saying, “Expectations are only premeditated resentments.” I usually set the bar so high for myself and others that anything short of perfection is considered failure in my opinion. This year I am only doing the parts …..
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Bridge to Hope is a support organization only and does not offer medical or psychological advice and is an outreach program the Passavant Hospital Foundation. Web design by Creative Courtney.