NEWS
No More Shame, No More Silence
FEATURED Addiction: Where were the parents? Go ahead. Judge me.
How a mother’s love outlives her daughter’s heroin addiction though 17 relapses.
Daily Advertiser – Jan. 2, 2019
Moms in the News
I shouldn’t have been ashamed of my brother. Eliminate the stigma around opioid addiction.
At first, I put the blame for my brother’s addiction squarely on his shoulders. But I’ve learned that stigma is a burden too heavy to carry. James “LJ” Winnefeld III
USA Today – May 17, 2019
A Mother’s Struggle With Her Daughter’s Opioid Addiction
Heroin and other opioid addictions are an arduous habit to break, and they can nearly destroy the lives of entire families. One young woman was in the throes of addiction, and her mother searched for her for years.
The Epoch Times – May 9, 2019
An overdose and a mother’s search for truth
She had spent the past 13 months retelling the story of her daughter to anyone who would listen, and now Susan Stevens, 53, sped down the highway, needing to tell it again.
The Washington Post – Mar. 31, 2019
Drugs took their children, but not their hope that others might be saved.
How rehab recruiters are luring recovering opioid addicts into a deadly cycle.
Boston Globe – March 9, 2019
Moms of children dead from drug addiction: ‘Where is the outrage for us?
They are parents of the dead from addiction, tasked with the unnatural act of burying their children at a rate unprecedented in modern American history.
The Ledger – Jan. 28, 2019
A Mother’s Reflection On Her Son’s Addiction, His Death, Her Faith And What If’s
Editor’s Note: The following was written by the mother of Brian Christ, who died of a heroin overdose at home in 2004. Brian’s death changed the lives of many, especially his parents, Lee Ann and Tony Christ, and sisters Katelyn and Ashley. We share this story not to scare, although we are fine if that’s the impact it has on young minds and families, but to inform and remind.
The Dispatch – Nov. 28, 2018
Opioid-Addicted Son, Shapes How Florida Mother Will Vote.
Rachel Martin talks to Isabelle Simon, whose son has been treated for opioid addiction. She plans on voting for candidates who support affordable health care and drug counseling, regardless of party.
NPR – National Public Radio – Oct. 30, 2018
From Tough Love To Empathy: Coaching For Parents With Opioid-Addicted Children
It was Bea Duncan who reached for the phone at 2 a.m. on a January morning nine years ago. Her son Jeff had been caught using drugs in a New Hampshire sober home and was being kicked out.
WBUR – Jun. 6, 2018
After fighting her son’s addiction for years, one mother learned to let go
As she watched her son Joey slip into addiction, Sandra Swenson became obsessed with his every movement…
Minn Post – Mar. 7, 2018
B.C. mom shares the heartbreak of an addicted child
With every fiber of my being as his mother, I have stood resolutely, phone in hand, and said No, I cannot help you with that. With Mother’s Day approaching, this is an open letter to all mothers who have children dealing with addiction issues.
The Abbotsford News – Letter to the Editor – Feb. 23, 2018
Being an addict’s mom: ‘It’s just a very, very sad place’
Seven years ago, Barbara Theodosiou, then a successful entrepreneur building a women’s business mentoring group, stopped going to meetings, leaving the house and taking care of herself. She grew increasingly distraught.
CNN – August 28, 2014
Book Reviews
Adversity Needn’t Thwart or Define You. Here’s How to Cope
Elizabeth Smart’s “Where There’s Hope” offers advice on moving past trauma and its aftermath.
The New York Times – Book Review – Jul. 6, 2018
A Mother’s Pain, a Daughter’s Addiction
When Maureen Cavanagh, a hardworking small-business owner and resident of the charming, historic town of Marblehead, Mass., clicked on a link to a Salem News story headlined “Marblehead Honor Student Arrested for Prostitution,” her first thought was: “How sad. How very sad.” As she read further, however, her feelings turned to horror.
The New York Times – Oct. 12, 2018
Saving Jake: A Powerful Family Memoir of Opioid Addiction
A Powerful Family Memoir of Opioid Addiction
More book reviews to come…
Interviews
12 Remarkable Moms Willing to Challenge Addiction
A Neuroscientist Explores The Biology Of Addiction In ‘Never Enough’
Interview With Judith Grisel on Her new book is Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction.
An Interview with Barbara Theodosiou, Founder of The Addict’s Mom
Interview With Drug Prevention Activist: Barbara Stoefen
Barbara tells her story about her daughter, Annie’s addiction and recovery. She also gives some helpful suggestions for families that are struggling.
The Joey Song – Sandra Swenson Shares Her Story
When addiction is understood as a disease, it will be treated like a disease — but this is an understanding that will happen only when those of us who love an addict stop hiding addiction as though it’s a disgrace.
Exclusive Interview with Author Katherine Ketcham
The Recovery Research Institute sat down with Author Katherine Ketcham to talk about her new book, The Only Life I Could Save, and what advice she would give to family members caught in a similar struggle to help save a loved one from addiction.
Recovery Research Institute – News & Opinion – Apr. 30, 2018
My Son’s Battle with Meth Addiction: Beautiful Boy’s Mom Tells Her Emotional Real-Life Story.
Vicki Sheff, the mother of Nic Sheff, the meth addict played by Timothée Chalamet in Beautiful Boy, shares her perspective on her family’s struggle and the new movie.
People – Oct. 12, 2018
What Advice Do You Have For Parents?
A compilation of interviews asking this question: ‘What advice do you have for parents who are concerned about their adolescent or young adult’s substance use?
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part One.
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part Two.
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part Three.
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part Four.
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part Five.
The Addict and My Child: Mother’s with Addicted Children
Kirsten Haglund interviews Sandy Swenson about her experience with a son struggling with addiction, the significant changes she made during his treatment, the stigma of addiction, and the resulting book she wrote Tending Dandelions: Honest Meditations for Mothers with Addicted Children.
Part Six.