What is or was like for you to be around family and friends back home during the holidays as you struggled with an addiction or in recovery? Or as a loved one, what challenges + triumphs came with that experience?
When my son was struggling with addiction, the holidays were a nightmare. Thanksgiving and Christmas are stressful enough, but when you factor in a child with addiction, the stress increases exponentially. Not knowing if my son would show up at the house high or sober, along with wondering what kind of mood he'd be in, was so hard to deal with. That said, my wife and I did the best we could because we've always loved our son, unconditionally. There were a couple of bad years, but there were also good years. And I believe the holidays are times for families to be together, regardless of what illnesses some family members may have.
My cousin has struggled in his addiction. As a family we had a meeting about how we should interact with him. It always turned out well whenever we are gathering together.