Lessons Parents of Young Adult Addicts Should Learn

Living with someone who has a substance misuse disorder can be incredibly challenging – even more so if you are watching your child struggle with the various issues related to substance misuse. Not only do you constantly worry about their well-being, but you may also find yourself in completely unfamiliar territory when it comes to how to help your son or daughter deal with their problems.

As a parent, you probably have an array of questions:

• What are they using, and how much?
• Is this a passing phase of experimentation, or a genuine addiction?
• Am I being overprotective, or am I right to be concerned?
• If I put my foot down and set ultimatums around my child’s drinking or drug use, will it push them even further away from me?
• Is this problem somehow my fault?
• Is my child’s future at risk?
• Should I be looking into qualified treatment facilities?

Here are the top four lessons you should learn about young adult addiction.

1. Parents Can Enable an Addiction

As a parent, you would do almost anything to keep your child from experiencing pain. You want their journey in life to be free of as many obstacles as possible. Unfortunately, those same impulses can cause you to develop the habit of enabling a child’s addiction.

You raised your child in the best way you knew how. It can be a bitter pill to swallow when you realize you can only do so much to support them, and at some point, they are responsible for the decisions they make. As much as you may want to smooth out the bumpy road to addiction recovery, your child must experience the natural consequences of their actions and do the hard work of getting better on their own.

2. You Can’t Help Someone Who Isn’t Willing to Accept Help

As well as you think you know your child, unless you have battled addiction issues yourself, it can be challenging for you to understand what they’re going through. Because of the denial that often accompanies addiction, addicted people may refuse to admit when they need help. When addiction takes hold of someone’s life, they often can’t walk away. However, coming to terms with this is a gradual process.

You can play a role in helping your child work through addiction by being there to support them, researching a treatment center and learning more about their substance of misuse and how it affects them, but your son or daughter won’t heal from an addiction until they are willing to accept they have a problem they can’t solve by themselves.

3. Be Patient

It takes time to heal from a drug or alcohol addiction. There are no shortcuts or quick-fix solutions, no matter how much you might wish there were. There will be easy days and hard ones. The best thing you can do is to be there to support your child and provide unconditional love when they are struggling.

4. Addiction Doesn’t Define Your Child

One of the most challenging lessons learned in addiction recovery is for the addicted person to rediscover who they are without the influence of drugs and alcohol on their life. Along the way, they will also need to accept that it’s fruitless to dwell on mistakes made in the past. You can help your child learn to live in the moment by encouraging them to try supplementing their therapy with approaches such as meditation.

Start Healing Your Family Today

At Hope Academy, we know how devastating addiction can be for families. Learn more about our young adult addiction services for ages 18 through 26, and get your child the necessary help to recover. Contact us today to learn more about our application process.

Steps to Take Before You Welcome Your Child Home From Addiction Treatment

You’ve been counting down the days until you could welcome your child home from their treatment program. Now that the big day is almost here, you may be feeling like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s normal for any parent in your position to feel happy, anxious, stressed and excited, sometimes all at once.

While your child will have made a lot of progress in addiction treatment, it’s essential for you to remember that they are only at the beginning of a lifelong process of recovery. It will involve sacrifice for you and your family, and it’s smart to plan for how you will deal with it. Although your daughter or son is ultimately responsible for their success, you can learn how to support them along the way.

1. Remove All Temptations

The first step you should take is to clear all intoxicating substances out of your house. Go through your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of expired or unused prescriptions. Keep any current prescriptions under lock and key. Likewise, remove all alcohol from your home, or take steps to secure it. Take special care to search your child’s room for drugs, alcohol or any paraphernalia.

2. Get Naloxone and Learn How to Use It

If your child’s substance misuse issues stemmed from opioids, having naloxone on hand can be lifesaving. Naloxone, marketed under the brand name Narcan®, is a non-addictive drug that can reverse the effects of an overdose. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a naloxone kit from your drugstore without a prescription. Make sure the naloxone kit is in an easy-to-access place, and that everyone in your family knows how to administer it.

3. Familiarize Yourself With the Aftercare Plan

Whatever your treatment facility recommends for your child’s next steps, make sure you understand the plan and have familiarized yourself with what you need to do to support your son or daughter. For example, you may need to attend counseling as a family, or drive your child to appointments with a therapist. Be willing to take time off from work, if necessary, to fulfill your obligations. Your continued involvement makes a difference, whether your child is willing to acknowledge it or not.

4. Set Reasonable Boundaries

If your child drank or used drugs for a long time, it likely took a heavy toll on your family. The secrecy, denial, manipulation and self-destructive behavior associated with addiction disorders can erode relationships, and it will take time and concerted effort to rebuild. Once your child returns home, setting healthy boundaries can ensure you are developing a foundation of mutual trust. Some families find it helpful to draw up a recovery contract that defines their expectations and outlines consequences for breaking the rules.

5. Be Patient

The earliest days of recovery will probably be the most challenging for everyone involved. Your child will most likely go through periods of emotional upheaval. There will be days where they feel angry, frustrated or distant. Other times, your child may be like the person you remember from before addiction took hold. Be sure to savor the good moments, and be ready to listen on days where the struggle may seem overwhelming. There are no shortcuts in recovery.

Never Give Up

As crushing as it can feel to see your son or daughter wrestling with the burdens of substance misuse, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At Hope Academy, our team of addiction specialists can help your child turn things around before addiction becomes a way of life. If you are ready to make a fresh start for your family, contact us today.

For Caregivers: How to Stress-Proof Your Diet

You’re so stressed about your addicted loved one that you devour whatever you have on hand — chips, candy, soda — even though you know it’s unhealthy. You have no time or energy to cook. Your clothes are even getting a bit snug but carving out time to exercise seems like a selfish, lofty goal right now. 

Sound familiar? Unfortunately, caregiving and weight gain often go hand in hand. But caring for your loved one should never mean compromising your own health. Instead, it’s important that you make healthful lifestyle choices, including managing stress without eating your worries away. Not only will you feel better but you’ll set a good example for your loved as he or she embarks on a new sober life. 

Try one of these tips to help stress-proof your diet. 

Make moderation your motto. It’s OK if you’re not ready to ditch the comfort foods, but there’s no need to finish off an entire bag of chips or box of cookies. Portion them out to remove the temptation. Try dolling cookies or chips into smaller bags so you’ll only eat a serving’s worth.

Stock up on stress-busting snacks. Hit the grocery store and load up on a few foods shown to alleviate stress. Think nuts, dried apricots, omega-3-rich fish, legumes, and whole-grain cereals. And aim to eat snacks that include low-fat protein. This will keep you satisfied longer. Try red and green bell pepper strips with hummus, grapes with low-fat string cheese, or a celery stalk with a dollop of peanut butter. 

Distract yourself. The next time you’re about to eat away your anxiety, call a friend, listen to music, read a book, or even toss in a load of laundry – whatever will keep your mind off of food. Studies show that simply closing your eyes and imagining a tropical vacation can help kill a craving.

Get moving. It’s not new advice but it continues to hold true. Exercise boosts those feel-good endorphins. People who exercise regularly are also study-proven to be less impacted by stress. Try it: take a walk, pop in a yoga DVD, or sign up for a swimming class.

Write it down. Start a food journal – and be sure to include how you’re feeling: scared, angry, tired, fed up, craving chocolate, etc. This will help you become more conscious of what you’re eating and why. Journaling can also help you express any bottled up emotions. If you decide to seek counseling or therapy to better cope with your loved one’s addiction, you may even consider brining your journal with you. 

Calling All Parents!

At Hope Academy, we understand how easy it is for parents to feel out of control when your child is addicted. Becoming involved with their treatment in a supportive manner gives them the best chance of success. With your help, we’ll help your teen or young adult attain lasting sobriety. Call today: 

866-930-4673.