This is a guest post by Lauren Springer on the value of support groups.
Addiction is progressive and chronic.
In the process, the addicted individual becomes detached from those he or she loves and the activities that used to bring joy.
He loses a connection to the world around him. He or she eventually becomes isolated from life. As the parent of an addicted person, can you identify a similar trend in your own life?
Has your child’s addiction resulted in a decline of outings with your friends or less participation in those special activities that used to bring you joy? Have you closed your curtains, locked the door, and crawled under the covers?
Have you felt alone, thinking no one else is dealing with the same issues you are or been questioning the decisions you need to make regarding your loved one?
Just as there is a solution for your child, there is a solution for you:
Support Groups
There are groups of people who understand our journey, our sorrows, and our fears. They understand that we all need help changing our thinking. There is absolutely no need to travel this road alone.
There is no need to stay isolated and alone with our fears. In fact, it is proven that when we reach out to others and share our experiences, we get stronger. When we are stronger, the addicts in our lives have a better chance of recovery.
You may be wondering, what exactly are support groups and why do I need to attend these meetings? It is my child who has a problem. Let’s dispel the notion that our CHILD is the only one with a problem.
When one person in the family is addicted to drugs and alcohol, we all get sick. And while we cannot control the choices our children make, we can control the choices we make. But how would we know what the choices are, what works, and what doesn’t work if we don’t participate in a forum where we can learn about what has worked for others?
Parent support groups
There are various parent support groups and meetings throughout the United States. There are even different kinds of meetings, not just 12 steps, all focused on empowering people who love an addict. It may require some research but they are out there.
Go online and type in parent support groups. You will be amazed at what is available in your area. Talk to the people you meet at meetings and ask them what else they do to work on their recovery. Not all meetings are all talk.
There are even Yoga/recovery groups. A little yoga, a little meditation, and a little recovery go a long way to heal the mind, body, and spirit.
Remember our recovery takes time; just as it does for our loved ones. It is a matter of progress, not perfection. There is no right or wrong, this is not a race.
Offer your experience and hope to that person who comes into the meeting looking at how you felt when you reluctantly went to YOUR first meeting. None of us should walk this path alone. Our lives can and should be filled with hope, courage, and fellowship.
As the Family Liaison at Turning Point, Lauren Springer, MSW offers support, caring guidance, and education to parents and families as they negotiate the pathway to their own recovery. She believes that parents having their own recovery program is not only essential to their own health and well-being but in turn aids in their sons’ recovery. Lauren believes that much of her strength comes from involvement in recovery programs as well as in helping other parents build a program of recovery to find peace and serenity in their own lives.
