To the Mom Who Raised a Heroin Addict, From the Mother of a Probable Future Addict

I recently read an article that a mother of a heroin addict wrote, titled, “I Raised an Addict—What I Could Have Done Differently.” As a recovering addict and now a mother of probable future addicts, my wheels were spinning after reading it. There were several great takeaways, but I felt compelled to respond with some of my thoughts and experiences. The author wrote,

Don’t just hope your children will never be exposed to drugs. Assume they will. Talk to your kids, speak to your friends, and  have a battle plan in place. If your school or town has informational meetings about this epidemic, show up, even if your kid is only 7 or 8. Be informed. Be ready. We need to fight this epidemic on all fronts. If your town does not have any form of parent education, Start the Conversation. All parents of young kids should listen to addicts in recovery speak. They are your neighbor’s children.  My son would tell you he had a nice childhood. He played baseball and soccer and took karate. We had a good relationship. He knew his parents loved him, and  – he did know better. What made him make bad choices in spite of knowing better? What changed from the age of 14 to the age of 16, when the drinking began? Murky gray. Minefield.

Recognize addiction can happen to your child. The epidemic is real. Be afraid. Be prepared to fight for your child’s life.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Arm yourselves.

The following is my response to parents of addicts reading this: 

1. Don’t waste your time preparing for the fight. You will fight. It will be instinct. Survival mode will kick in as you watch your child slowly, or quickly, killing himself right in front of your eyes. Mama bear will show up and take you to places you never thought possible. You will do unimaginable things to try to protect your child. To try to save your child. Fear of the worst will fuel irrational thoughts and behaviors. You will plead, bargain, and become willing to sacrifice everything you have to release your child from the monster that has them.
   

   You don’t need to prepare for this, it will be an inevitable progression of your natural, parental instinct.

You will not regret the sacrifices you made, even though they failed to save your child. You know that you’d do it all over again if you had to. Your child is worth it.