She Self-Medicates for Social Anxiety and Refuses Treatment
Social anxiety is way more than shyness. Many cases of SAD involve substances as well as depression. Self-medicating can appear to help but may also b…
Self-Care for the Family Member
Prioritizing self-care is essential to your own well-being but also to your loved one’s sobriety and recovery.
It is completely understandable to feel like you are hostage to your emotions when there’s addiction in the family. But it will be difficult to help your loved one (as this site teaches you to do) if your own emotions are driving your actions and reactions.
Self-care is therefore a non-negotiable building block when using our approach to helping your loved one get into treatment or solidifying their recovery. We’ll show you how…
After 20 Years of Use I Don’t Know What to Do Anymore
Our Allies member has finally found the strength to seek help for herself, too.
He Wants Money and Cigarettes While in Treatment. What Should I Do?
Although you have already given so much, you want to find a way to positively reinforce your son’s effort at staying in treatment. The decision…
Upset about a Loved One’s Addiction? 4 Steps You Can Take Now
So you're mad or hurt or feeling hopeless? To be effective at helping your addicted family member, you must first get a handle on your negative feelin…
What Does Being “In Denial” Actually Mean?
Acceptance of a painful reality is a process and takes time. If it's happening to you, be open to the truth and gentle with yourself. If it's happenin…
Denial About Addiction – Will My Son See the Truth?
A member wonders if her son will ever come to terms with what he's put the family through. Read Annie Highwater's inspiring response which offers stre…
Working on my Own Recovery
She is facing some hard truths as she looks back on the past ten years of her husband's addiction. He is finally sober, but he has yet to acknowledge …
I Have no Patience Left
The courts failed to enforce treatment for her daughter, once out of jail. Now her daughter's life is a real mess. Take a look at how Dominique Simon-…
Addiction in a Family is Like a Flood
Annie Highwater shares more words of wisdom with the community. Here's a lovely reminder for family members that 1) we have work to do! and 2) recover…
I Want to Message Her Friends
These parents are reeling in the wake of realizing their teenaged daughter is experimenting with all sorts of substances. It feels tempting to monitor…