Motherhood conquers drug addiction

A text message just to say "I love you Mom"

In a report by The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Children Living with Substance-Dependent or Substance-Abusing Parents it was noted: .Parental substance dependence and abuse can have profound effects on children, including child abuse and neglect, injuries and deaths related to motor vehicle accidents, and increased odds that the children will become substance dependent or abusers themselves.. Think about it; drug and alcohol addiction bring about devastating consequences for a family. Usually we envision parents of a teenager or young adult enduring the nightmare of fear, grief and despair that walks arm and arm with addiction. But when the alcohol or drug addict is a parent the recovery story is reversed. For example a former addict mother we.ll call .Sarah.. relates her story of hope. .Four years ago this month I was coming off of heavy antidepressants and opiates.  I was hopeless, depressed and in apathy. Finally I had my .wake-up call. and got into treatment..

When I was at Narconon California for several months getting clean and acquiring life skills; my twenty- something daughter didn.t want to talk to me or have any kind of relationship with me.  She felt like there was too much damage to make up. But I didn.t give up.  I continued to work out of the condition of liability with her. Since I have been home things have improved immensely.  We see each other at least once a month and talk on the phone often.  She will send me a text message just to say .I love you Mom. and even dropped by my job one day to bring me flowers .Just because..  She got engaged on New Year.s Eve and called me to tell me the good news right away.  We spent last Friday night looking at wedding magazines together, and she said, .Mom, you know three years ago you were not even going to be invited to my wedding and now you are helping me plan it!. Sarah continued, .Completing the program at Narconon California saved my life and my family.  Since I left my life has been really good.  I work at a Public Health Law & Policy office; I have my own place, a new car and I pay all my bills on time. And best of all, I have my Daughter!.

Catherine Savage, Registered Addiction Specialist at Narconon California urges .Families can talk about basic points: 1. All drugs can be toxic or poisonous and when put into the body, they change the way the body works or the way the person thinks or feels. 2. Drug addiction & alcohol abuse kill creativity and ruin goals. 3. Alcohol & drugs hurt athletic and intellectual performance. Arranging family dinners several times a week gives parents an opportunity to stay in touch and observe their children. Best of all parents can set a good example.. For more information visit www.narcononcalifornia.com.If you are losing a loved one to alcohol or drug abuse, please call 1-800-871-4350. Let Narconon help make a difference.

Articles quoted in this report can be found at SAMHSA web site. http://oas.samhsa.gov.
Catherine Savage, Director of Community Affairs
[email protected]
1-800-405-8409