“I wanted to give up. I still might want to give up. But getting a glimpse into the other side of the story gave me the chizuk I needed”
A year ago, I might have read “A Bitter Pill” with a raised eyebrow, wondering why content like this needs to be in front of frum families everywhere. I look back at that past self and wish I could find a way to give her a dose of reality without her having to experience the harshness of real life. In real time, I read the article and cried. I’m the one picking up the pieces of the addict in my life, trying to keep my head above water while dealing with the stress and exhaustion and pain of supporting someone else’s family while they try again to get the help they need.
I wanted to give up. I still might want to give up. But getting a glimpse into the other side of the story gave me the chizuk I needed at this exact moment to keep it going one more day.
Name Withheld
This is not necessarily a response to the article this past week about a recovering addict; it is more a glimpse and hopefully invitation to those family members in need of support and acknowledgment.
I am the wife of an addict. When I saw the title of the article, my heart tensed up. I know of the deep pain, shame, guilt, and nonstop self-loathing that consume an addict’s life. I also know the unmeasurable pain, worry, self-doubt, and codependent life of a family member. Family members go through many different emotions and uncomfortable pain, whether it’s watching the addict suffer without being able to speak about it, or having mistrust constantly invade the foundation of the relationship, being scared that one day the addict will just not be around anymore, and so much more. This takes a huge toll.
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