For a family system drug user it is actually a good thing, as it is easier for the person to eventually stop using the drug.
Teenagers, parents and alcohol.
Forget the whole testing thing and start the slow process of rebuilding the lines of communication. Hopefully it wont be too late and there are not too many deep scars left on both parent and teenager, such that a reconciliation is impossible.
Alcohol does not create the alcoholic
Drugs do not grab people and draw them into addiction. The person with a particular personality structure will go and find their drug of choice and then an addiction will ensue.
Curing alcoholism – switch the addiction
Where mother’s injunction says “Don’t leave me!” Synanon says “Stay here instead.” (p.185-186). He also says elsewhere, “Curing an addict is the easiest thing in the world – if.
Some therapeutic observations of the AA approach
In most counselling situations this can not occur. It may get too expensive and most often the person has to make appointments with the counsellor such that they have to wait days if not weeks to meet. Even if it is free or they can afford it most counsellors don’t really see the same client …