Personal Stories

Get advice and perspective from families who have also been impacted by substance use or addiction.

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I See Myself in Every Young Person With Addiction. This Is What I Want Parents To Know.

Here are a few things I’d like parents to know so they can best help their child – and themselves – through treatment and recovery.

I Thought Addiction Was My Son’s Problem. But Addiction Is a Family Disease.

When my son became addicted, I embarked on a journey to learn about preventing and treating this disease. I wish I knew then what I know now.

To Parents Struggling with a Child’s Addiction: 3 Things I Want You to Know

Find out what Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, has learned from her daughter Christina's substance use disorder – including the importance of reaching out for help.

Where There Is Life, There Is Hope

At face value, they sound so simple. Just seven words strung together. But in taking a moment to step back and find perspective, they become so much more.

An Open Letter to My Son

The path to recovery is difficult. But please know you are not walking alone in addiction– hands of help are reaching out to you with your every step.

My Story of Recovery From Stimulant Use

I am grateful for the responsibilities that life presents and, thanks to recovery, I am prepared to face them.

This Father’s Day, I Invite Dads to Help Fight the Heroin Epidemic

All of us — men and women alike, who contend with family members, especially children, suffering from substance use disorder, are haunted by loss.

Yankee Fan Reflects on Loss & Ending the Silence on Addiction

These were men that drank and played hard during a time when there was less discrimination over a swing and a swig. Men whose substance use were denied or protected, sometimes even by the sportswriters who sat at the bar with them.

Thanks For Never Giving Up On My Struggle With Addiction, Dad.

Dear Dad, I am grateful for all that you have done during my addiction and continue to do for me. I would not be alive and well today if it weren’t for you.

Collaboration Helps You, Your Partner and Your Child

When it comes to a child using drugs or alcohol, collaboration with your co-parent is key.

I Wish I Had Learned to Listen Sooner

What do I wish I had done differently?

From Discovery to Recovery

After experiencing and acknowledging emotions brought about in parenting an addicted child, I believe that I will better cope with negative feelings that arise.

Ron Grover: Setting Boundaries

Detach from the actions, crimes, drug use, and lying. Love and support the person inside, not the addiction controlling his life.

My Son’s Drug Addiction: What I Learned About Myself

Like many parents, I felt that my son's addiction was every bit of my problem as it was his. I didn't know what I was doing wrong.

Taking Action Against My Son’s Addiction

From honor student to nearly failing his freshman year, my son was on the fast-track to the dark side. Though he hadn't developed an addiction, he was well on his way.

6 Things My Husband and I Did to Save Our Marriage

Dealing with our daughter’s addiction was by far the most difficult and the most painful thing we have had to navigate together as a couple.

5 Things I Did After My Teen Was Caught Drinking

I was wracked with worry and felt guilty for not knowing that she was drinking alcohol in the first place. “How could I have missed it?!”

4 Lessons I Learned From Confronting My Teen With Addiction

When addiction hit my daughter, it was like a tornado hitting our home from the inside out. Learning to talk to her was like learning a different language.

How Personal Stories Can Help Fight Teen Pressure To Use Drugs

Education about the dangers of drug and alcohol use is all about being relatable. By sharing his personal story, my son helped kids think differently.

Acceptance Doesn’t Mean Condoning a Loved One’s Addiction

Accepting that a loved one has a drug or alcohol problem doesn’t mean you condone it.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Knew Your Child Was Struggling With an Addiction?

As parents of loved ones with a drug or alcohol addiction, how many times did we blow right through the warning signs as if they weren’t even there?

Setting Boundaries for Myself

I have learned that there is a big difference between rules and boundaries. My misunderstanding of this before is a regret I live with every day.

Surviving and Thriving During the Holidays With a Child’s Addiction

How do you have fun or enjoy anything when someone you love is lost in their disease?

How I Cope with the Addiction in My Young Adult’s Life

I understand that there is truly only so much that I can do to save my daughter from addiction. Ultimately her recovery is between her and her Higher Power.

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