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October 23, 2005, 5:08 am PDT
Addiction
- Dr Phil, My story is like millions of others--My daughter is 35 y/o, beautiful, intelligent, educated (masters in counseling), and suffers from the disease of addiction. Our family is a loving, kind, hard working, middle class one. My daughters were raised in a stable and loving enviroment. Our biggest problems were always money issues-being very young when we married and not prepared for the financial responsibilities- but we managed and did the best we could do. We have witnessed 3 od/suicide attempts ( 2 were in our home), jail, car wrecks, lost custody of her daughter, lost 5 jobs in her field in 3 years, wasting money, losing her health (has started having seizures and is sooo thin), etc,etc, I could go on but no different that others-only difference is this one is my child and my heart that is breaking. Drug problems in our area, and in the US, are escalating and the help that is available is not. In our area there is little to no help available, no residential, long term rehab. What treatment centers there are ,within a 200 mile radius,have waiting list 2-4 months long. No money to help with treatment. The problems associated with drug abuse (murder,theft,abuse,child neglect/abuse,etc)will not get better until the help they need gets better. Also, a major obstacle, when dealing with an adult there is little that a parent can do. Even though this is a disease that leaves them mentally impaired and unable to make rational decesions, they have rights as an adult. KY recently passed a law (Casey's Law) that allows a parent,spouse,family member, to legally have involuntary treatment made mandatory. Voluntary or involutary -treatment is needed and can work.
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