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Drug addict family
ok well first of im 13/f and everyone in my family is a drug addict, my mom, my dad and my brother(who is 21). right now everyone is clean except my brother, and i know im at a high risk of becoming a drug addict and im really scared. ive never taken anything except gotten drunk about 3 times. this is really hard to cope with. ive cut a couple times and my friends dont really help a lot. my dads been in and out of jail and in and out of rehab. and theres a lot of other things that i dont feel like going in to detail. but i dont know how to deal with this so my question is, is there anything i could do to cope with this better(ive already been to a shrink and it was no help) like is there any websites or anything and not al-anon(not sure if thats it) cause thats just people with familys who drink.. well thanks for any help in advance.
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Want to answer more questions in the Relationships category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Families?
The key thing to remember is to resist becoming an alcoholic or drug addict. You are learning some key things that can turn your tragic life into a productive life. You are learning to cope with behaviors of people who are not always rational.
You can take these difficult times you are going through and turn them into something positive. Your a little too young to work right now, but perhaps you could do volunteer work that helps people. A nursing home, a day care, even in the nursery at a church taking care of kids on Sunday mornnings.
Obviously you have developed a keen sense of whats going on in your household and you choose not to ignore it. This means that you have the willingness and ability to be a better person. For now focus on your school work and doing things that make you happy. If at all possible spend time at friends houses who have parents that do not use drugs or alcohol.
The anger that you have inside probably turns you to do "self mutilation" or cutting. There is a hotline where you can call and someone will listen and not tell you how crazy or bad you are.
www.selfinjury.com
1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288
Do a search for this book on Amazon.com, or Barnes and Noble. If you don't have the means to purchase the book try to check one out at the library.
For Teenagers Living With a Parent Who Abuses Alcohol/Drugs
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Sounds like you've got a lot going on! I bet you're a lot stronger inside than you realize. That's quite a load for anyone to deal with! Be proud that you haven't dabbled in the drugs yourself. That is frickin awesome! One thing though... the alcohol can lead to all that, so don't let yourself get sucked into it that way. Alcohol might not seem like a drug, but it can be highly addictive and one thing just leads to another. So... what can help you cope with all this?
The advice and support of others can go along way in helping you deal with this... support from people that have been there, done that... young and old alike. Friends don't always understand or know how to help, and some people, such as yourself, aren't comfortable sitting in an office with a psychiatrist spilling your innermost thoughts. There's a lot message boards out there on the web that are filled with people that understand and can help support you, having been through these things themselves. I did a Google search and found a site that might help: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location). Looks like they hotlines, message boards, etc etc. Give it a try... see if this might be a good place to start. Maybe you'll find some good advice and support here.
Hang in there, ok? Don't give into any of the pressures of alcohol, drugs, etc. Try to enjoy life as best you can, be strong and positive, and you'll be ok. You can do it!!
Peace to you!
G.
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Naranon is similar to al-anon except it focuses on families of drug abusers. I'm giving you the website.
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Also, you might consider seeing a different counselor. Sometimes it takes a couple tries before you're able to find a counselor that works best for you.
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You know what, family is an important part of how you were raised but it doesn't mean you have to follow in their footsteps. This really isn't about them, it's about you. You don't need a shrink, you just need someone to talk to who will support your decisions and give you hope. You're still very young and I'm sure you'll encounter more problems than some typical people would. But use that in a good way. You are going to have pros and cons in each family. Right now your family is going through a rough time. Why they do it, I don't know. Maybe that is how they cope.
I'd hope that you would realize how important it is that you see their flaws and don't want to go down that same path. You are in total control of this. You aren't at a high risk sweetie, you're the only one who makes that decision. It's knowing what is the better one and choosing carefully.
You might not have a great family life, but try to make the best of it. My sister went into drug rehab too, and I'm not an addict. Never was. Learn from peoples mistakes. Drugs create more problems and much more stress. You definitely don't need that. Your family has already made the decision to take drugs and now they have to get their life back in order. It definitely isn't easy. But through all the hard times, recall what happened and how much damage it put on you as well and learn from that.
Talk to your friends about it. Adults tend to not fully understand the whole concept. Live your life how you want. And don't follow what everyone else does.
That's just my input.
Love,
Mandee
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