A dad's journey through lessons learned and advice to other parents.
NEWSLETTER
Stories of Struggle, Triumph and Resilience
Those with lived experience share how their lives and those of their family members have been impacted by substance use and addiction.
Parenting through addiction: A dad's candid journey and advice
Alex (center) graduating from college, his mom, Darlene and his dad, Ron.
Ron Grover has written many essays for the Partnership over the years detailing his experience with his son Alex's journey with substance use. One blog post that continues to inspire families is 7 Truths About My Son's Addiction That Took 5 Years To Learn.
In this heartfelt account, Ron describes how accepting hard realities about substance use helped him be more effective at supporting Alex. For example, he shares his realization that his son was doing everything he could to hide his addiction, including lying about it. Ron learned to reward his son's truthful moments which helped promote positive behaviors.
"We have learned and faced several difficult lessons throughout our journey, all of which we previously denied in the beginning... I have learned that until you understand the truth, you cannot find peace within yourself, or be able to help your child who is struggling with addiction."
This story shines the light on family engagement and how support from parents and families can contribute to effectively addressing substance use disorder. This family didn't give up hope and understood addiction is a disease that could be treated.
Today, Alex has a lot to celebrate. He has been in recovery since 2010, has a wife and son, graduated with a college degree in industrial maintenance specializing in electrical and robotics, is a member of the local electrical union, and is a homeowner.
