The Addiction in the Basement

Dear Delyara, The 'Fire' in our home was my son’s secret addiction. It was a slow heat that started with missing jewelry and ended with a middle-of-the-night phone call from a hospital. We spent years in the 'Shadows' of rehabs, relapses, and lies. The grind of 'hoping' and then 'failing' is the hardest thing a parent can endure. We reached a 'Crossroads' where we had to practice 'tough love'—shutting the door until he was ready to save himself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Our Victoria came three years later. He walked into the Sanctuary, healthy and clear-eyed, and handed me his three-year coin. The victory wasn't just his sobriety; it was our family’s ability to forgive. The fire is out, and though the scars are there, the house is finally safe