How to Handle Your Child’s Drug Addiction
Knowing your child is addicted to drugs or alcohol and knowing they don’t want your help is one of the most painful, difficult things to go through in life. You want to be there for your child but they push you away. Knowing what you can and should do in this situation is important for you and your child.
You’re NOT to Blame
You provided a loving home for your child. You supported them through school and sports, drove them to activities they wanted to participate in, and maybe brought them up through your church. Why, then, did they turn to drugs or alcohol? This is the most maddening question parents of an addict ask. What made them start using? As hard as we try, we can’t know everything about our children’s’ lives, especially as they get older. many addicts can’t pinpoint when they lost control. Their addiction is not your fault and you’re not to blame. Somehow, you have to make yourself accept that.
Love from a Distance
The most difficult action you need to take is to step away. Your child is an addict. They cannot be forced to get help. There is nothing you can do to help them quit until they are ready. You may feel like you are giving up on your child but you’re not. You are protecting your emotional and mental health and providing the support they need when they want it. Keep reaching out, but don’t enable them. If they are going to get clean and sober, they are going to have to take the initial step.
Support Yourself
Organizations such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon provide support groups and counseling for the families of addicts. They give you a place to go to work through your child’s addiction. Counselors and fellow members know exactly what is happening in your life and have their own experiences to relate to yours. These organizations could be exactly what you need to gain back control of your life.