Addiction is a disease of isolation. In fact, so is family addiction.

When a loved one’s addiction becomes obvious to us, often, the natural reaction is shock, despair, and isolation. There is so much shame, guilt and sadness associated with the awareness of what they and we are now dealing with that, oftentimes, we go into a hole of our own making, not wanting to think or talk about it to anyone. We just want it to stop. We want things to go back to the way they used to be before the using began…

All of these feelings are so natural. Addiction is so not socially acceptable and so very dangerous…And you know what ‘they’ say… if we are talking about drugs, they are illegal. If we are talking about alcohol, it’s so sloppy. If we are talking about sex addiction, it is so, well, perverted and if we are talking about gambling, it is making us so BROKE!!!…..and so forth. And, what is wrong with us that we can’t stop it???

So, how can we tell anyone we know that one of our family members is so OUT OF CONTROL – that we are dealing with impulses gone wild right in our own families and that no matter what we do or have done, things just keep getting worse….

If this sounds at all familiar to you, listen up. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!!

Being related to an addict is one of life’s most difficult challenges and potentially one of its greatest gifts…But in order for it to become a gift, you, the family member, need to get some support!

Most likely, this addiction is NOT something you can fix or take care of all by yourself.

That’s why so many support groups have sprung up:
Alanon, Nar-anon, Gam-anon, Families Anonymous, etc.
All of these groups are filled with people who have sat where you are now. Many of them have figured out how to cope with the situation and are living happy and productive lives whether their addicts have come along for the recovery ride or not.

You will also find that many of them, with years of recovery, have great ideas to help you figure out what is best for you to do next!

Without support, chances are you will grow in bitterness, disgust, fear, anger and ill health.

If that doesn’t sound so good to you, stop isolating now and REACH OUT for help!

If you are not a group person, or if you feel you would like to know what else is available, you can read my free e-book How Can I Get Them Sober: A Guide for Family Members and Friends of Alcoholics and Addicts. You can get a copy of this 48 page e-book by going to www.theempowermentcoach.net or sending me an email at bbuncher@theempowermentcoach.net and I will send you one myself. But you may want to do so quickly as this book is getting ready to go back on the market at a price.

You can also call me for a complimentary consult. I’ll help you figure out what kind of support would be best for you. Sometimes a coach is just what you need. Other times it is not. I have lots of experience personally and professionally in this arena. So call me and let’s talk about it together. No cost. No obligation.

The point is, DO NOT ISOLATE!

With help and support, you can have a happy, joyous life regardless of the addict’s choices. And, in the meantime, have a much better chance of helping the addict as well.

I’m still

Coach Bev
786 859 4050
Family Recovery Coach
Author of the forthcoming book The Four Foundations of Recovery: Four Simple Ideas to Help You Survive and Thrive When Someone You Love Is An Addict
www.theempowermentcoach.net
www.12stepfamily.com
www.familyrecoverycoach.org