When Addiction Feels Stronger Than Love: Understanding Shame and the Reality of Addiction (Part 2)
One of the most heartbreaking questions many family members ask when someone they love struggles with addiction is this: "If they love us, why do they keep choosing drugs or alcohol over their family?" It's a question often asked through tears, frustration, confusion, and grief. It's a question I have wrestled with myself. I grew up surrounded by addiction. Both of my parents struggled with it, and many members of my extended family did as well. Like many children raised in homes touched by substance use, I spent years trying to understand what was happening. Why did people I knew loved their children continue to use substances despite the damage it caused? Why did promises get broken? Why did important moments get missed? Why did addiction seem to come first? For a long time, it felt personal. As I've learned more about addiction, I've come to understand something important: addiction is not simply a matter of choosing a substance over a loved one. It is a ch...
