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My Parents are on Drugs
DISCLAIMER: Dawson McAllister Live does not engage in professional counseling of any sort. The resources that you are about to view are for support and guidance only. They are not intended to give authoritative advice, nor should they be seen as a replacement for professional counseling. These resources are best seen as a beginning point for those who are interested in getting help.
WARNING: The audio clips and stories contained in these resources may cause emotional pain to those who are struggling with the issues discussed.
Welcome to The HopeLine Virtual Coach for the issue of living with parents who are on drugs. Below you will find stories, information, and resources dealing with the issue. Before you get started with the Virtual Coach, please listen to some DMLive callers talk to Dawson about their struggles with living with parents who are on drugs. To hear the calls, please
click here for call #1, or click here for call #2.
Cory’s Story
It was midnight, and Cory was heading home from his after-school job. Cory works late hours as often as he can so that he can avoid his dad, who is addicted to methamphetamine. Cory and his dad are not similar at all. Cory is a hard worker, wants to succeed in life, and cares about himself and about other people. Cory’s dad, on the other hand, is lazy, does not worry about excellence, and is very self-centered; his drug habit is all that really matters to him right now. The differences could not be more obvious to Cory, who is frustrated, angry, and hurt by his dad’s actions and attitudes. Cory is a little bit jealous of his friends and their relationship with their dads. He doesn’t let his feelings show very often, but Cory very much regrets that his dad is not involved in his life. The decisions that his dad has made, and his inability to seek help for the drug abuse makes life very difficult for Cory and his mom. Cory loves his mom and is very close to her, but he cannot help but to long for a relationship with his dad.
Your Story
Anti-drug messages are aimed at teens everywhere. You see them on television, at the movie theatre, in magazines, and online. It is very difficult to get away from them. The messages are usually up front and in your face. Teens should not use drugs; this is the message. But what happens when the teenager is clean, but their parents are not? When a teenager has to live with the reality of their parent(s) drugs abuse, many challenges arise. Teens are faced with questions and problems that they should not have to deal with. In the case of Cory, his dad’s drug abuse caused many problems, but not the worst kind. In many cases where a parent is a drug addict, abuse is present. In other cases, the parent abusing is the only parent. Whatever the situation, living with the reality of parental drug abuse is very demanding, demeaning, and difficult. Often the teenager is filled with shame of their parent’s actions. The teen feels worthless and hopeless. Their school performance (grades), relationships, and their own decision-making are affected in a very real and negative way. Some teens deal with the problem by giving up. They are so affected by the situation that they quit trying at school, work, and everywhere else. For others, like Cory, their resolve is strengthened and they try even harder to overcome their situation and become something, anything, other than a drug addict. Whatever your particular situation, if you are struggling in a home where at least one of your parents abuses drugs, then this Virtual Coach is for you. Hope exists and help is available.
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