- Alcohol
When I found out my daughter had a substance abuse problem, I instantly faced denial. Was it because of me? I reflected on the time when my daughter was growing up. She didn’t even like the taste of alcohol while at home.
Next I became angry because someone had harmed my little girl. I wasn’t ready to accept she had a problem, so I was looking for someone else to blame. Since she didn’t have the problem while at home, it obviously was because of someone outside of our household.
I felt an enormous sense of loss, and I was concerned I had lost my daughter forever. I’m not used to feeling helpless or vulnerable, and I was asking myself if I could have done anything differently. I decided to face my emotions head on. I attended some of my daughter’s presentations and meetings which gave me the opportunity to meet some of the people who were also suffering from this terrible disease. I learned there are no boundaries it won’t cross. What I came away with is the knowledge that only treatment and continued follow-up will help her stay away from a relapse. I also realize alcohol addiction will be part of our family for good. As a parent you can’t choose for your children, but you can love and support them because being an alcoholic is no different than being a diabetic.