Parenting is never easy but parenting a child experiencing addiction can feel impossible. One father faced this very situation when his youngest son, Stevie, had a near-lethal battle with addiction. After living through so much heartache, Stevie’s dad chose to share his experience with others who are facing the same dilemma. 
 
Stevie’s dad wrote twelve personal short stories that took place during the height of his son's addiction. You can read all of them here. If your loved one is living with substance use disorder and you’re unsure what to do–this is a great place to start. There’s so much insight that can be gleaned from his stories, and it’s all from a parent who has been there before. 
 
Along with personal stories, Stevie’s dad also shares the most important information, concepts, tools and resources necessary for parents and caregivers to navigate this vexing disease. He discusses detachment, self-care, how to set healthy boundaries, and shares simple tools to help parents determine if there is an addiction problem and if so, what kind of treatment makes sense to address the problem.  If you want to take action and best help your child recover, here are four steps that Stevie’s dad recommends: 
 

1. Get educated about the disease. Addiction is incredibly complicated. The more you know, the higher the likelihood you can help your child recover. 
    
2. Find professional help for your child. Research shows working with professional clinicians increases the chances of recovery. While the road to recovery is filled with twists and turns, professional clinicians can provide much-needed guidance and wisdom. 
    
3. Get support. Join a support group with other parents to find connection and community. Parents who join support groups often remark about how they feel less isolated and have a renewed sense of hope. 
    
4. Take care of yourself. To best help your child, it’s important to practice self-care and make sure your own needs are being met. Addiction recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. If you do not take care of yourself, then you will not be at your best when called to handle tough circumstances. 

 
Stevie is now twenty-five years old. He has nearly seven years of continuous sobriety under his belt. He has since graduated college and currently works in the addiction treatment industry. He spends most of his days giving back and sharing his story to help kids and young adults find their way to recovery. 
 
Stevie is a wonderful example that recovery is possible for everyone.