Addiction is treatable. Helping your child through recovery takes a lot of effort, but it can be done. It is important not to give up and to realize that, as a parent, you are not alone. Your hope that your child can return to a healthy, drug free life can make all the difference.
Here are some important facts that you should know about addiction:
- Addiction is a disease and a health problem that does not happen because someone is "bad."
- Addiction runs in families, just like cancer or heart disease. If your family has a history of alcoholism or drug addiction, explain to your child that they are at a higher risk for addiction.
- Many other people are facing the same problems. Substance abuse is common among teens and adults. Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It cuts across race, gender, and economic lines.
- Know the warning signs and act early. If you suspect your child has a problem, find out now. Take the first step. Get Help
"Addiction...if you use drugs at a high enough dose, frequently enough, and for long enough, you literally change the way the brain works. You change the way nerve cells communicate in such a way that you develop this compulsive, out of control use despite knowing that all kinds of terrible things can happen to you, and despite even experiencing many of those things."
-- Definition of Addiction, by Dr. Steven Hyman, Director, National Institute of Mental Health
For a complete list of New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Services:
