when one suffers~others suffer

If your family is suffering through addiction, you know that one family member's journey down this dark road is a lonely one but unfortunately each family member is also suffering their own lonely journey. When parents are dealing with the sometimes "extreme crisis" with the addicted family member, what is happening with the other children in the family? Don't think for one second they are not affected, they are affected, as much as you are. I believe that each family member is suffering their own lonely journey. We must remember to support the other children, even though they may look like they are not in crisis, they very well can be. Their crisis may take on a different shape than the other crisis your family is dealing with. Remember addiction is a family disease. Throughout our long and difficult journey this past few years with my son, my daughter has been suffering her own pain. Worrying about the rest of her family, worrying about her brother, feeling lost and alone while screaming for help silently, so silently that it took some time to see how much pain she was actually in. You see, how does a child tell her family she needs help when she can see for herself that everyone is suffering? At times acting out, at times reaching to mind altering substances to ease the pain, at time wanting to feel the physical pain in different ways; these are all ways a teenage girl may reach out for help. Our pain has been real, our pain has been deep. My daughter has suffered the same broken heart that I have, I have wanted to help her, I try, but how is a mother to help mend her daughters broken heart when her is broken too, so broken. My daughter came to me a couple months ago after one of my son's court hearings. She told me that she was afraid, that she was not coping with all her pain and suffering in healthy ways and that if she were not to get some help, she fears she would end up like him. Like her brother, where nothing and no one matters anymore except the drugs and that life. She said she wants help to learn how to cope better. Yesterday my daughter was admitted to Portage Atlantic for residential treatment. I am so proud of her and of her strength and how truly wonderful she is, I will miss her beyond words but I will get back my wonderful girl with new found strength and coping to carry her through her life's ups & downs. All my love xxx
Photo credit:Recovery and Hope