Nancy had constantly criticized herself for her son’s painkiller addiction. Or more properly, she blamed her alcohol consumption.

Over the past few years, she ‘d gotten her drinking under control with help of professional therapy, but Nancy was still ruined with regret for the years her son saw her out of control. With the help of a family therapist, they discovered their way out of a pattern of burden into mutual-understanding and recovery.

There Will Be Discomfort

You might anticipate finding out that Nancy got sober and instantly became the upright citizen that she hadn’t been when she was drinking. But that wasn’t what occurred. What happened was… Nancy became realistic.

She informed her son Jason that, no matter what, she would be there for him. That was the start of the breakthrough. As they sat in the dining room drinking cup after cup of coffee, the reality started to flow. Nancy started to weep. Jason reached out his hand. She asked him the question she ‘d been wanting to ask for a long time: “Will you go with me to therapy?”

It seemed like a miracle, but he said yes. They made an appointment. There was a mood around the house, a feeling that they were going to get through this. It was a Wednesday morning when they went to their first therapy session.

Yes, Jason was troubled by his mother’s drinking. Nancy was going to live with that for the rest of her existence. But there was so much more. Thanks to all those years soaked in an alcoholic fog, she never even knew about some of the horrific things that had happened to him.

Curing the Wounds and Shifting Onward

During their first family therapy discussion, the floodgates released. Nancy was dealing with serious anxiety after her separation. Jason was trying to curb his opioid issues, but nothing else appeared to make him feel better.

Their counselor, Jenny, just let them talk it out. They spoke freely and truthfully, like they ‘d never done before. By the end of their treatment, Jason made the decision he was ready to get help. They weren’t sure what the strategy would be, that would take some time to work out.

The tears were streaming and Nancy was frightened, but much less terrified than she ‘d been in years prior. Their therapist had the resources, they could do this! Jason was ready. She was ready to be a major part of his support system.

” You are the reason that I am alive,” Nancy stated.

Jason placed his head down. When he eventually elevated it, tears were burning his eyes. “Mom …” and his voice cracked off. “Mom, we’re going to make it.”

Here at AION Recovery we believe a strong family support system is vital to recovery. It is not unheard of to have Siblings, Mother and Daughter, Father and Son, two best friends, or a combination of the above to enter treatment together. We have systems in place to help guide you and your loved one in the right direction towards proper recovery. Call us toll free at 888-811-2879 to find out more about our program, and the path that’s right for you.