Openness is the first step toward recovery... addiction remains a secret because of the overwhelming shame associated with it.

Through Nic's drug addiction, I have learned that parents can bear almost anything....I shock myself with my ability to rationalize and tolerate things once unthinkable. The rationalizations escalate....It's only marijuana. He gets high only on weekends. At least he's not using hard drugs.

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.

An alcoholic will steal your wallet and lie to you. A drug addict will steal your wallet and then help you look for it.

If you subscribe to the idea that #‎ addiction is a disease, it is startling to see how many of these children - paranoid, anxious, bruised, tremulous, withered, in some cases psychotic - are seriously ill, slowly dying. We'd never allow such a scene if these kids had any other disease. They would be in a hospital, not on the streets.

Openness is the first step toward recovery... addiction remains a secret because of the overwhelming shame associated with it.

I didn't cause it. I can't control it. I can't cure it.