Can We Talk?

Today as part of a casual conversation at work, I learned that several of my coworkers have family impacted by addiction. I kept quiet and just listened.

I wonder if they know….

Addiction touches more families than we realize. All throughout our communities, we find current and past drug use, alcoholism and crisis. So why is it still so hard to talk about?

I have seen families torn apart by a loved one’s drug use. They insist they don’t need help. They can handle it.

I have seen parents with a teenage child caught up in drug use , leading to a host of other consequences. They try and try to fix things on their own, until they just can’t. But they don’t talk about it. They can handle it.

Why is it so difficult to accept help? We all know this is too big to handle alone…

Just my thoughts here, but maybe pride?

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace. ( Proverbs 11:2)”

What is pride? We know self- esteem is an important, valuable trait, but pride tells us we are bigger than we are. We can do anything!

No- we can’t.

Pride gets in the way of what God wants to do. It convinces us that we are indestructible, we don’t need help- we can do anything.

But we can’t.

Pride says, yes, I know my child is using drugs. I can make him stop.

No…. no, you can’t.

Why is it still so hard to talk about this? Because pride has convinced us we don’t need to…

There are some things we were not meant to carry alone. Addiction is one of those. We were created to live in relationship, in community. When we struggle, there are others around us who have walked the same things. We help each other. We hold each other up. This only works if we talk about it though. How would I know what you need unless you say it? How would you know what I have walked through unless I share it? We have to talk….

Think about this too…. God is the only one who can handle it all. Yes, He gives us strength and comfort. He also gives us support in the form of people. Just because you know the Lord doesn’t mean you don’t need help. The early church in the book of Acts lived together. They did life together. They supported each other! They were not too proud to lean on someone else.

Every week we have a support group that meets to talk about it. We lean on each other, share when we want to, and find strength from those around us. We talk about it…. whatever your “it” might be.

Don’t let pride stop you from talking… don’t let it get in the way of your family’s healing.

Reach out. I would love to talk about it.

Chaplain Debbie Lamm

debbielamm@familiesinrecovery.net

(704) 707-4277