Life is hard.
Can we all agree on that?
So many decisions, so much pressure, so much sadness.
Of course there are countless great things about life, but there is no denying that life is hard. And unfortunately, our surroundings can make it even harder on some of us than others.
When you are the child of an addict, you might feel like you are one of those people who have a much harder life than most.
Maybe your parent(s) lashes out on you because of it, maybe you never see them, maybe you don’t have anyone to confide in, or countless other things.
Being the child of an addict is a unique situation…
But, it is not your fault.
Use it as a learning experience.
There are few things that should make you want to steer clear of addiction more than having a front row seat to it for most or all of your life. You can see how addiction effects every aspect of your life, and even more importantly, the life of all of those around you who didn’t choose to be an addict and didn’t bring that life upon themselves – yet, they are still a victim of it.
Use their poor example of everything you don’t want to be.
Don’t apologize.
We often try to find something to blame, or someone and that someone is usually ourselves. But even if your parents did not become an addict until you were born or well into your childhood, it is not your job to apologize. They have had their own struggles and made their own decisions in life.
You are the child, not the adult.
Offer to get them help.
If you really feel like you need to do your part, the best thing you can do is to offer to get them the help they so desperately need. It will likely mean more to them coming from someone they love and that is the best thing you can do for them in terms of their journey to recovery.
It is not your job to get them better, but you can offer them the resources they need to do so.
Know when enough is enough.
Sadly, there may come a time when you just have to separate yourself. You need to focus on saving yourself from the same unfortunate fate, so know when enough is enough. Know when it is time to do what is best for you.
Being an addict is hard, and being the child of an addict is just as hard.