PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
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...
It’s Okay for Me to be Happy
Our family consisted of mom, dad and three children. I was married for 20 years to an abusive man who regularly beat and humiliated everyone in the family. When I finally left, my daughter Nancy had just turned 12. Her brother had already moved out and her older...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
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...
A Taste of the Lifestyle
One of the great regrets of my life, at a certain time, was the effect I believed I had on my brother in my early days of addiction. While we can pontificate on the nature of this beast – the way addiction as a disease works and manifests itself in individuals – I...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
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...
Let’s Talk About Gratitude
It’s November! Let’s talk about gratitude. There is no better medicine to lift our spirits than a quick account of our blessings. What an incredibly powerful tool for changing our perspectives for the better. The happiest most resilient people I meet always seem to...
