Addiction is toxic.

Alcohol and drug addiction poisons everyone it touches. Sickening every family member and friend, every household where an addict resides, and bringing chaos to every situation.

The loved ones of addicts live with self-defeating feelings of shame, blame, resentment, frustration, embarrassment, helplessness and hopelessness.

They long for the addict to seek rehabilitation and recovery. But those choices are out of their control; those steps only the addicted one can decide for themselves to take.

The only control the rest of us have is to free ourselves from the drama and dysfunction by seeking our own recovery and healing.