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Old 04-17-2018, 07:32 AM
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FreeOwl
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
you probably know from your own experience that nobody can 'fix' anyone and that addiction recovery only happens when a person wants to recover.

I'm so sorry you're in this place. I feel for you and can only imagine the heartache of watching your child slide deeper into addiction.

I don't have expertise here, but my reflection would be that as with any other addict - perhaps your greatest offering is the gift of your own story.

I think if I were in your shoes, I'd share very openly with her about my own struggles, my own shame, my own feelings and emotions, my own raw and un-edited awfulness and the progression of it all and how it impacted me and all that it robbed from me....

and.... how I got free.

and how much better my life is now.

Any sense of forcing or pushing or 'making' her do anything will only cause rebellion from your offerings.

I think in these situations all we can really do is:

Draw firm boundaries to keep the addict from tearing us apart and to keep ourselves from enabling the addict.

Be there for the person we love - when they are either sober or crashing from a binge and open to our messages.... possibly open to change.

Offer experience, strength and hope.

Be ready to get them into treatment, help, counseling, support the moment they seem genuinely ready for it.

It's terrible to watch, you have my empathy and my hope.

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