Rachel’s bags were packed. The 14-year-old went to her mom and said she couldn’t live like this anymore. Her mom was so busy helping her dad deal with his alcoholism that Rachel felt like she had been abandoned; she was ready to leave home. But, Rachel and her mom talked, and Rachel jumped at the chance to attend Ala-Teen meetings.
“’Rachel’ said AlaTeen has helped her to gain an understanding of alcoholism, the disease. She was told, like cancer, it is an illness. But she struggled with that for a while. ‘Cancer isn’t something someone does to themselves. It’s not something they can control. Alcoholism is different. You do that to yourself.’ But she did come to terms with it. Alcoholism is a disease. And though she still is angry with her dad, she understands better and has a better attitude.” - Source: The Salem (OH) News
More importantly, Rachel doesn’t feel like she’s alone anymore. She now has the support of an entire group of people who are dealing with similar situations. Addicts need help. But so do their family members. The emotional and psychological toll of living with an addict is significant, and family members need support in order to deal with it properly.
Labels: addiction, treatment, family
Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton