I am in recovery. I have been since September 13 2005. I came from a family who is also addicted. My mother and sister have chosen not to get help and so I had to make a very difficult desision. I have not spoken to either of them for the length of time I have been clean. I choose to be in recovery and is very important to me. My family has chosen to keep in the same destructive pattern that has caused many phycial and emotional scars. I am happy to say that I am working the steps and trying to break the cycle for my future and the future of the childern I may have one day. Thank you for the show and keep doing the next right thing.

I am 43, an alcoholic and schizophrenic. I have been sober now for one year and my mental illness was recognized by a psychiatrist, who is treating it. My own children are estranged from me due to my behavior during their childhood. I encourage children of alcoholics to find understanding and support in ACOA; Adult Children of Alcoholics. God bless you and keep you.

Dr. Ablow,

Terrific show. Rain Pryor is a delight: a wonderful example of someone who struggled and came out on top. The excerpt from her book was funny.

The causes of children parenting parents are not always as obvious as alcoholism, or drugs, or depression. Needy, controlling, or egotistical parents can be manipulative, deceptive, and as destructive. They can crush the inner person of the child just the same. There is seeming order on the surface and death on the inside. Your big lesson of facing the truth and pain is, of course, the same. TV psychiatry works. Thank you.

Dr. Ablow,

I watched your segment on Rain Pryor and something awakened in me. I am at a crossroad in my life about making a decision about my mother, who has lupus and is in my opion a prescribed pill addict. This has gone on for many years. The other delemma is she is an enabler to her children. She has allowed my brother to live with her, who is a drug addict. My problem with this situation is that she does not see that it is not helping him to be able to live there and just be. There are no conditions and he does the minimum to help her.

My mother is 76 and having a hard time with life in general. I feel he is taking advantage of her. Because of his drug activity and his addict friends friends in and out of her house.

I live on the first floor of this house and am my mother's financial accountant. I feel my decision to leave will result in her losing her current financial stability.

Dr. Alblow, what can I do to help this situation? Because it has become to overwhelming for me to deal with.

Thank you

I am a stay-at-home father of a 6 month old ball of joy that has changed my life completely! I am convinced that my purpose in life is solely to take care of, and to be the best father that I can be for my precious baby boy. My father wasn't around when I was young. He was locked up for armed robbery, and I grew up thinking that my adopted father(My adopted father and I never got along) was my real father. At 16 I met my real father and shortly after went to stay with him. I witnessed my fathers death on may 15(the day after my birthday)when my wife got pregnant we decided to name our son after my father. My son was born on May 15 2006!
I see this as a chance for me to be the best father that I can be, and to break the cycle, and maybe prevent my son from having to go through the same thing I went through. (drug addiction, being in and out of jails, prisons, and rehabs) My son has changed my life so dramatically, that I can't help but share this story. the way everything has worked out, I cannot help but entertain thoughts of God. Thanks for reading!

I was watching the show Tuesday mourning on families struggling with addiction and I was astounded by all the misimformed information being given to the mother who is using. First off, I am a recovering addict with 11years clean. I have been clean since May 3rd,1995. I stay clean for me . One of the things that I heard when I began to make twelve step meetings is that if you are getting clean for anything other than yourself, nine times out of ten, you are going to use again. I stay clean for me and the God of my understanding today. At the end of my road when I was at the dumpster eating out of it, I was alone. When I was turning tricks with strange people for just one more hit, I was alone. It is important that the addict makes the decision to get clean and stay clean one day at a time for themselves. Not their families, not the judges, not their children. They need to make that decision for only they know when they have truly hit their bottom. I do not struggle anymore. I surrender to win. One Day At A Time. Thanks for letting me share.

I saw your show today and I have been in and experienced many similar situations that the guests shared with the audience today. I have been an individual who has had guardians who have problems with addiction. I have been suffering with these problems for as long as I can remember. The problems became so intense that I came to the conclusion and forced the issue to make a choice with these people who have the problems of addiction. The choice was either to give up their addictions or not to be apart of my life. I have not been in contact with these people for a long time yet their and my problems have effected everyone who has associated with their and my life. I refer to them as my guardians since I was adopted at a young age. I pretty much want to escape the problems of my past and move on with my life. I think that I can characterize my relationship with my guardians like two people divorcing each other. My situation is extremely uncomfortable but I would like to have some sort of closure to my past and current situations with my problems. I would like to know if you know anything about or can help me with being legally emancipated where I no longer have any desire to be legally bound to these people any more. I realize that this is a delicate and possibly a unique situation but any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I've been alcoholic since my teens, now 51. I've been in AA, treatment centers and hospitals for alcoholics. For me, two surrenders were neccesary, one to the alcohol, the other was my self will, living by Gods will instead, living by the 12 steps,

i am a recovering addict sober date march 16th 2006...i am 35 been on drugs sinse 13 /14 years old heavy user the last 12years ...i have 4 kids plus a nephew ive raised for 3 years ...never was i able to say: "it's either my kids or my drugs " and never was that altamatum
given to me...if it were i would have probably killed myself ...people think quiting is as easy as going on a diet or just saying no..!well its not!!! or else noone would use or become addicts !!!its much deeper than that .we all say "i would die for my child" and i would,,,, yet how come i couln't stop using ???? its not, because we dont love our children ....no.... what we ,as drug addicts can do is ...rather than be given an altamatum
the drug addict has to

"..first your right admit it
then" do something" about it
go get help ,rehab i.e. detox, counsiling ...etc.....and the most important thing is having your family at your side while you are getting help..it doesnt work if we do it alone ... we have to believe in god..or for others a higher power because drugs are all we know!!!!!and all my life i will be a drug addict it will never go away i will always have
a hold on me
but once clean if we let go of that higher power then in one blink of an eye we will fall...

i would like to thank my lord god
my family and my doctor
i know you can help alot of addicts especially heroin addicts like myself

I have my 15 year old daughter with a drug addiction and I have had help for her for so many years and never worked for her. She was also in a Rehabilitated treatment center which she ran from the place and now back in jail again. I have struggled throughout the years and having hope that she would make a change. I have cried and talked to her about life and how mine was and the things I did to make the changes. I am not the same parent that I was before. I have made a change for the better for all my kids. But it seems that they were used to one way. I am typing a realizing alot of things about the past and trying to move on. But as the kids are teenagers and it seems that it gets harder and I feel so lonely and don't want to be in this world. I watch alot of shows that you see Dr. Keith, and I start of alot of things. Maybe you could help me with alot.