To Addiction and Back
Mother’s Account of Teenaged Daughter’s Victory Over Cocaine
After speaking to many families around Santa Barbara who have friends or family members suffering from addiction, I feel compelled to share our story in hopes of starting to lift a stigma, and to help create an environment of honest communication as it relates to drug and alcohol abuse among our youth. While most adults look the other way, many high school and college students in our area are destroying their lives through some form of alcohol and/or drug abuse.
Among the many personal stories I could share on this topic, this one takes precedence because it involves my daughter. Hopefully, our experience can comfort and aid others who feel lost in the maze of embarrassment, disbelief, fear, and worry over a child’s problems with addiction. Maybe we can even provide some hope.
One New Year’s Eve, at the age of 17, my bright, beautiful, family-oriented, not incredibly social daughter tried cocaine. And, as they said at rehab, she was probably addicted from the moment she tried it, especially since she comes from a long line of addicts on both sides of the family.
