Addiction in the Family

By Kim Roberts

Addiction. Just saying the word brings me to my knees. How can a family survive addiction, of any kind, at any age?

When a family member is suffering from an addiction, it affects everyone in the family, not just the addict.

Having a family member that is an alcoholic has been a roller coaster ride. We have watched him loose his wife, children, job, home and quality of life to the alcohol that he consumed and consumed him.

We have not been passively watching, we have intervened several times, got him into rehab, therapy, AA, but nothing could stop the drinking for long. Years have gone by and the same cycle keeps repeating, and we watch him loose himself a little more each year.

We have all prayed for God to help him, to save him. But, he just keeps getting worse. Now he has congestive heart failure and less than 10% use of his heart. He is literally drinking himself to death.

In this last bout of binge drinking that landed him in the hospital again, I had a moment of clarity. I turned to God and totally put this in his hands. I learned that I am powerless against the demon alcohol, I trust that God will see him and us through this.

This was not easy. I am a woman of action always looking for a solution to the problem, but I am at peace knowing that I have in earnest given this to God. A weight has been lifted from my heart and mind.

As I write this, three days after giving it to God, my family member today said the words – I want to go to rehab. It is in his hands now.