A mother who has survived addiction naturally would like to do everything in her power to protect her children from making the same mistakes she made. She may feel especially responsible for the welfare of her daughters, who, as they grow and mature, will increasingly look to her for guidance as they attempt to make…
As an addict’s use spins out of control, what happens to the rest of the family? In families where one or both parents develop an addiction, certain “rules” about how to behave and how to survive develop alongside the addiction. In addition to these rules, family members take on roles that shore up the rules…
Acknowledge your role as an enabler. Staying on the path you are on now will only perpetuate the problem and reduce the likeliness that your loved one will ever get the help he or she needs. Find help. Living with an addicted spouse causes tremendous stress. You may be dealing with a loved one who…
If you suspect or know that your spouse is struggling with drug addiction or alcoholism, you may be at a loss as to how to help him or her. What can you do? How do you confront the issue? The answers don’t come easily; after all, it’s not as though you were taught in school…
A young mother attending her children’s school functions and sports events doesn’t create the typical picture of a person with a drug addiction, but it’s an alarming and growing reality, say experts. Recent articles have highlighted moms who have had children removed from the home or spent time incarcerated for drug use, often resorting to…
There are several different types of addictions, including drug addiction, alcoholism, and gambling addiction to name a few. Each type requires specialized addiction treatment in order to help addicts overcome their addictive behavior and lead a more constructive and enjoyable life. While the symptoms may vary to some degree from one individual to the next,…
There are no perfect parents. Even conscientious parents who seek to create the best possible home environment will make mistakes along the way and those mistakes will impact their children, just as they were influenced by their own parents. Does this mean that kids who grow up in a home where one or both parents…
In a family intervention, the addicted individual is confronted with the effect their addiction is having on those around them, primarily their family. When considering a family intervention, the professional staff of intervention counselors at The Sundance Center will prove to be an invaluable resource. We have worked with some of the country’s best interventionists…
The kids are back in school. Think your job is over and you have nothing to worry about? After all, they’re occupied in class and monitored by teachers, so everything should be fine, right? You could be very wrong. In fact, going back to school increases contact with other individuals who may be promoting or…
When there’s an addict in the family, it takes an emotional and sometimes physical toll on everyone. Sure, you want to be understanding. It’s tough enough for the addict to admit he or she has a problem with alcohol or substance abuse, or gambling, compulsive sexual behavior, and eating disorder or overwork. Your loved one…
