Home / Blog / addiction / addiction treatment / alcoholism / recovery / stigma of substance abuse / substance abuse prevention / treatment of substance abuse / Addiction Recovery Month and Children of Alcoholics
Families with addiction issues are usually afflicted for generations. Back when I was growing up, any relations who were alcoholics were not talked about and avoidance was the way the issue was handled in our house. Therefore, I grew up up not knowing anything about alcoholism or recovery from it. And so when I was forced to look at my own substance abuse, I had few tools available to conquer my addiction. This caused me many relapses and my family much heartache.
My kid’s generation is different. They not only know all about alcoholism and recovery but they also know that they are high risk of developing the same.
But children of all ages suffer when a parent misuses alcohol or drugs. Typically, children experience confusion, fear, worry, sadness, and anger but children usually express their feelings differently to adults.
For many parents working to overcome drug and alcohol misuse, the hardest part of recovery can be reclaiming the relationship with their children; learning to parent without using alcohol or drugs can be extremely stressful.
But when the relationship is re-established, it is an incredibly beautiful thing. My kids have seen me at my worst but today they see me at the best I can be. They have hope which I didn’t always have. They have the tools to conquer the disease of alcoholism if they become afflicted.
I also see the stigma of substance abuse descintigrating on a much broader level which will improve the chances of others becoming “well.” The idea of recovery month has become enormous with special events in many cities across our great nation. It sets a good example for those still contemplating recovery.
A New Word a Day
At the bottom of some of my posts, I will feature a word of the day so that we can start rebuilding our vocabulary as we rebuild our lives. I’m here to grow and I hope you are too so here we go…
ineffable \in-EF-uh-buhl\, adjective:
1. Incapable of being expressed in words; unspeakable; unutterable; indescribable.
2. Not to be uttered; taboo.
. . .the tension inherent in human language when it attempts to relate the ineffable, see the invisible, understand the incomprehensible.
– Jeffrey Burton Russell, A History of Heaven
Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker… build your self-confidence and intellect… increase your attractiveness to others… just by learning a new word whenever you can.
