As the wife of a recovering heroin and benzodiazepine addict and step-daughter of a raging alcoholic, I have dealt with the hardships of addiction in almost every way possible. Not to mention the fact that I have walked a dangerous line with an eating disorder - anorexia - myself. There is no easy way to deal with addiction, whether it's realizing it in yourself, or trying to get help for a loved one. While I can't say that I'm particularly fond of my step-mother, I would never wish addiction or alcoholism on anyone. This is a hard hole to climb from. I have watched my husband relapse and felt amazing pain, like a dull butter knife drive through my heart. I see my father married to a raging alcoholic, decorating her home with Bombay Sapphire bottles and martini glasses while they are both in denial, and I feel helpless. I have suffered from a very dangerous eating disorder, and feel weak, having to constantly monitor myself with my eating habits.
I run a treatment information and referral service, which I dedicate my life to, but addiction is something that I still have not mastered. There's no getting over it, the best we can do is live with it and try to be as healthy and productive as humanly possible. Depsite the hardships of drug and alcohol addictions and eating disorders, I and the rest of society have to keep trying. We can't help every addict, but for those that we can help, thousands of people are given back thier family members - daughters, sons, mothers, father, brothers, sisters, spouses, and friends - and there is no road too long or hard to give up on precious commodities like these.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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