At my worst, I even resented Nic because an addict, at least when high, has a momentary respite from his suffering. There is no similar relief for parents or children or husbands or wives or others who love them.

Wherever you be, wherever you may, seek the truth, strive for the beautiful, achieve the good.

Why does it help to read others' stories? It is not only that misery loves company, because (I learned) misery is too self-absorbed to want much company. Others' experiences did help with my emotional struggle.

Here's a note to the parents of addicted children: Choose your music carefully...There are millions of treacherous moments.

I am becoming used to an overwhelming, grinding mixture of anger and worry.

We deny the severity of our loved one's problem not because we are naive, but because we can't know.

I'm not sure if I know any 'functional' families, if functional means a family without difficult times and members who don't have a full range of problems.