PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
There is always hope!
After my son graduated from college, he lived on his own and picked up a few jobs before he started working for a bank - he was in his mid-20’s. He was doing very well at the bank and was working in the mortgage department. He advanced up through the department and...
I had to learn to accept the hard truths
When my son, Trevor, was 24, I had to come out of denial and admit he had an addiction. Trevor is my son with my first husband, Michael. Michael and I both struggled with drugs and alcohol. You may be thinking “No wonder he’s an addict.” Truth be told, with my...
Learning to treat our son as an adult, and learning that there is hope
I was a divorced mother of 4-year-old twins, “Jerry” and “Cherry,” when I remarried. We had another son soon after. Our twin’s biological dad was rarely there for them, and both were rebellious in their teen years. Jerry was very intelligent as a youngster. We...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
“I shall be telling this with a sigh. Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost I recently left a job I had held for seven years of my adult life....
Memories can be helpful…provide perspective…hope
For many years I thought about giving up. Throwing in the towel. Letting go of life itself. And to a certain degree, that’s what I did. Drug addiction, in all its forms, is like a version of suicide via layaway plan; roll the dice everyday wagering your own...
25 Million People Can’t Be Wrong
When looking at stark statistics these days, it can be easy to lose hope. So many souls lost to the disease of addiction – especially these days with the proliferation of fentanyl-based drugs littering our communities. And while it’s important to stay informed – to be...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Intervention
What is an intervention and how do we know if we need one? First, let’s define it. An intervention according to Merriam Webster is: the act of interfering with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning). So,...
One Day at a Time
An essential tool for recovery. Navigating addiction in the family is typically overwhelming on its own, bringing the past or future into it creates even more anxiety and tension and complicates an already difficult situation. It is enough to have to deal with today...
Holiday Season Preparation
I get many questions this time of year about navigating the holiday season with an addicted loved one. This is understandable, being that this season can bring all the family dynamics (positive and negative) front and center. Depending on the family’s past holidays...
