These are the words that Crossroads for Women clinician Faith Sheehan typically starts off with in the first session of her friends and family educational series. Those 4 words, "it's not your fault," usually draw a sigh of relief to participants.

The 4-week series, "The Effects of Addiction on Friends & Family," explores the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to be supportive of an addicted loved one while also taking care of you.

When a person has a loved one in their life who is struggling with addiction, s/he experiences a roller coaster ride of emotions. Anger, confusion, sadness, etc. What this educational series does is give people a better understanding of what their loved one is going through, why they might be acting the way they act, what the recovery process means and, most importantly, how to take care of themselves in the midst of it all. In the end, participants realize that they are not the only ones affected by the disease of addiction.

The series is offered to anyone who has a loved one with a substance abuse problem, male or female, who may or may not be in treatment and is held at Crossroads for Women's outpatient office in Portland, Maine. Find out more information about the next series starting on Tuesday, February 5th.

FMI
View "The Effects of Addiction on Friends & Family" flyer with the 2008 schedule
Find out more about Crossroads for Women's services for those affected by a loved one's addiction
Read more about the effects of addiction on friends and family members
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