Finding Hope: A Plan for Loved Ones of AddictsSample

Day 9: Will They Ever Be Fully Cured?

One thing most addicts—and their loved ones—want to know is this: will I be like this the rest of my life?

Addiction is not like a broken bone or a snakebite; it's not something you can recover from fully and go back about your business like nothing ever happened.

No, addiction is much more along the lines of diabetes or heart disease—it’s an ailment that requires a complete—and permanent—lifestyle change. If you have diabetes, you know you have to pay attention to the amount of sugars you take in, and there are just some foods that are off the menu. Same thing with heart disease: if you’ve had a quadruple bypass, you know you’ve already tasted bacon for the last time. In both cases, you must be vigilant—day in and day out—in order to preserve your health.

The same goes for addiction and recovery. This is not a temporary process; recovery is a lifelong journey. Once addiction impacts you, you live with it forever. It becomes the limp in your walk, always present, never leaving. But the hope I have for the loved one in your life—and for you—is that you will live both on the right side of recovery as long as you’re taking breath on this planet.

Parents' Perspective: Wendell Lang

The reality of relapse must be dealt with in an “eyes wide open” approach. The old saying is true, “people don’t do what you expect but what you inspect.” We believe in the principle and spirit of hope, but what can you do to help your love one if there are no guarantees?

• Pray. The psalmist said, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6).
• Be Gracious. "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts" (Colossians 3:15).
• Believe the truth. Jesus said, "He who does not follow me, cannot be my disciple.”

If you have a loved one who has lost their way, consider the following: In 1935 Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, from Akron, Ohio, developed a twelve-step process of recovery for people addicted to alcohol. This was the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and these same twelve steps based on scripture have been adopted and adapted by numerous other recovery groups. They work eventually, if your loved one can’t work them originally. Countless people have been helped and stayed sober and clean. There is hope for you!