By Amy LaRue
Finding Hope
Addiction: This is a subject most people do not want to talk about. More than 165 million Americans ages 12 and up are currently abusing drugs and/or alcohol. This number continues to grow year after year. Of those 165 million Americans, there is a mom, dad, sister, brother, wife, husband, son, daughter, grandparent praying and pleading that they would stop.
Addiction in families is often a subject that is kept secret behind closed doors. The shame, guilt, hopelessness, fear, sleepless nights and worry are just a few things these families experience daily. They will do whatever it takes to get their loved one clean and sober, and neglect their own needs. But the reality is, these families need their own support, community and tools to navigate this storm.
Finding Hope is a support group for loved ones of drug addicts and alcoholics. It is a safe and confidential place for families to learn that they are not alone on this journey. At Finding Hope, they learn that others are walking the same path as them. Families learn that there is nothing they did or did not do to make their loved one an addict. But, at Finding Hope, they will learn, there is hope.
Robin S. said, “When we walked into our first Finding Hope meeting, we felt at home. We knew we were with people who were walking the same road of addiction as we were. They ‘got it.’ They all had experienced the same emotions as we were experiencing and knew this group would become our lifeline and family.”
If you are living in shame, guilt, hopelessness and fear by your loved one’s addiction, we urge you to get connected to Finding Hope. You will walk into a safe room full of people who understand. You will finally be able to take the mask off that you have been hiding behind for so long. You will learn that you are not alone, it’s not your fault and there is hope.
You can attend a local meeting at Grace in Pagosa on the first and third Tuesdays at noon. To learn more about Finding Hope, go to Findinghope.today.
