Parents are supposed to provide their children with a source of support, strength, and unconditional love. Unfortunately, the parent-child relationship can be severely strained by the burden of addiction. Find a Way to Confront Your Feelings Parental addiction is more common than one might expect. Studies estimate that more than 28 million people in the [...]
A lasting recovery requires you to replace harmful habits with healthy alternatives. Family-friendly recreation lets you stay on track with your sobriety while making special memories with the people you care about the most. Although it's always a good idea to chat with your family to see what activities are of interest, here are some [...]
Codependency is a common response to the challenges associated with loving someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, even though the behaviors associated with codependency can seem positive on the surface, they will eventually have the negative effect of continuing to enable your loved one's addiction. Understanding Codependency The term codependent refers to [...]
Watching a loved one battle addiction is never easy, but having a parent who struggles with substance abuse presents unique challenges. You must balance the desire to see your father or mother get help with the need to address how parental addiction has affected your own mental health. Recognizing the Signs of Parental Addiction In [...]
Talking to kids about a parent's substance abuse problem isn't easy, but this is a conversation you simply can't ignore. Brushing the topic aside gives children the message that addiction is a shameful family secret. Instead, plan to discuss a parent's decision to seek treatment in an age-appropriate manner—setting the stage for open and honest [...]
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. This observance, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), stresses the need for education regarding alcoholism and addiction recovery. At St. Joseph Institute, we stand together with NCADD to encourage an open and honest conversation about the risks associated with underage drinking. In this post, we'll [...]
Watching your spouse or partner struggle with addiction isn't easy, but this challenge doesn't have to mean the end of your relationship. With patience, commitment, and determination, your marriage can emerge from this struggle stronger than ever before. Start a New Chapter in Your Relationship Try to look at your spouse being in recovery as [...]
Are you wondering whether someone you care about needs addiction treatment? The road to a substance abuse problem isn’t a straight line. For most people, it’s more like a slippery slope. When the person in need and their families look back at past events, they can see how the addiction developed, but it’s difficult to [...]
Do you remember the first time you held your son or daughter? Becoming a parent is a great joy, but it’s also a great responsibility. You probably felt a weight of responsibility in that moment, not only to provide for your child, but also to guide him to make choices for himself. Guiding a young [...]
