Paul And Andrea’s Story
Paul and Andrea share their experiences with having two children addicted to alcohol and methamphetamine.
Primary Drug Choices of Their Children
Their daughter, who had a problem with alcohol, came forward in 2005 to her parents, telling them she was an alcoholic and needed help. Paul and Andrea got her a therapist, but four days later, she relapsed on vodka and ended up in a car crash. Paul and Andrea then said she had checked into a treatment center for recovery.
Their son, who had a problem with methamphetamine, was forced out of the house at the age of 18. Between the ages of 19 and 30, Paul and Andrea had little contact with their son but suspected his continuing use. In August 2008, he got arrested and went into drug rehab.
Here is a video of them explaining how tough it was for them to be parents of addicts and what helped them deal with such a situation.
How Al-Anon Meeting Helped Them?
Paul and Andrea took care of themselves by attending Al-anon meetings, having no prior experience. They describe Al-anon as seeming alien with many problems discussed but few solutions. However, they found it comforting to relate to stories of other family members in the meetings.
Paul and Andrea worked on understanding the disease of addiction and allowed their children to be in charge of their own recovery. This helped them maintain their sanity in an otherwise chaotic life.
According to the couple, before attending such meetings, they used to feel guilty by thinking that they couldn’t protect their children. However, knowing that they were not the only ones going through such a situation and there were better ways to deal with addicted children; helped them a lot in troubling times.