I come from a family where we generally sweep any kind of turmoil under the rug. Others come from families where it’s widely known there are issues. Surprisingly, as I’ve grown older, the skeletons in my family’s closet have come to light. A big part of it is alcoholism. It’s a touchy subject with my grandma since she lost her brother (or uncle?) to alcoholism a la Edgar Allen Poe. Not to mention, there have been quite a few instances where family members have had their share of crashes and DUI convictions.

There’s been no talk of any alcohol treatment these family members have been to, so if they’ve actually gone through alcohol rehab I wouldn’t know. I do have one family member who’s come clean to me about their involvement and past with not only alcohol, but drugs as well. They, I know for sure, have definitely gone through the drug rehab process and just recently celebrated either 6 or 7 years sober!

I’m generally in the dark about such goings-on, even when they’re close to me. Friends who’ve had problems with drugs beyond alcohol or marijuana, or just addictive behavior in general. It’s surprising and I feel pretty dumb when I finally find these things out, usually after the fact. What I think is fairly amazing is the husband’s father, after battling his own demons and addictions, has come through to become a successful employee at a drug & alcohol treatment center. He’s continuing to work his way up and through, attending school to become better versed in addiction counseling and the like. Knowing how to battle it is part of it, right?

One of the teachers I’m still close to from high school just lost her son to a heroin overdose. It was tragic, sudden, and after all the demons he’d been battling – he was sincerely on his way up in life. It’s not just those drugs we have to be wary of, but simple, legal ones like alcohol. I’ve observed and experienced what alcohol abuse can do to somebody and their relationships and it can get just as bad. I think every young person should be really educated on the effects of all these substances can really do to your life, and not just physically. There are plenty of experiences that others don’t need to go through to learn how serious the consequences can really be.