Are you stuck in grieving the loss of the way life used to be prior to your child’s mental illness or addiction? 

Are you stuck in grieving the loss of the way life used to be prior to your child’s mental illness or addiction?

If so, I hear you, as I have been there too. 

I remember when all the childhood memories came flooding back to me, the happy easy joyful times where life felt more normal. Before mental illness took over my oldest son’s mind. Before addiction. 

I know this is a hard place to be, stuck in wishing life would go back to the way it was prior to their mental illness or addiction, missing those times from the past, feeling alone because other parents around you are leading “normal” lives with their children. 

One place you may be stuck is denial. Denial is a natural part of what you’re going through in coming to terms with the fact that your child’s illness or addiction has caused a huge change and things are different now than they used to be.

Denial can appear in many ways, such as continuing to feel there must be some mistake and your child isn’t really ill, not wanting to talk about what is happening, or keeping busy to avoid feeling your difficult emotions. 

Another place you may be stuck is in anger. Anger at yourself, your child, their illness, the doctor, or at life in general.

Or you may be feeling stuck in sadness about what is happening with your child. Not feeling hopeful about the future. 

Learning to live with your child’s illness or addiction requires acceptance. You no longer feel paralyzed by denial, anger, or sadness. You accept the reality of what is happening. You can still be sad, but you are no longer stuck.  You are able to feel peace. 

Let me know where you are in your journey.

Sending love and light,

Debbie