I’m The Mom of an Addict…

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Sandy Swenson

 

 

“I’m the mom of an addict, and I’m not ashamed to say that anymore. There’s a time when I was…..” My interview with the ASK documentary team about love, learning, and letting go:

Please watch and share this beautiful documentary with anyone who might benefit from it—anyone who might need help navigating the maze that is addiction: “ASK is a film about how both the addict and co-dependent relate to one another, love, and how both need help.”

Full-length film:

NOTE: The above two links are to videos…I don’t know how to insert these into my post here…Are you able to do that? (And then delete this note?)

About Sandy Swenson

Sandy Swenson is the mother of two sons—one of whom struggles with addiction. Author of ‘The Joey Song: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction,’ Sandy lives in the place where love and addiction meet—a place where help enables and hope hurts. Sandy is a voice for parents of children suffering with the disease of addiction, putting their thoughts and feeling into words. Sandy lives in suburban Austin, Texas, where she has just finished writing her second book—to be published by Hazelden in the fall of 2017—and an accompanying app to be published in the spring of 2018. When she isn’t writing or traveling to speak with other parents coping with the disease of addiction in their family, Sandy volunteers at a local maternity home teaching the girls to cook healthy family meals. Sandy also loves to garden, read and travel.
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9 Responses to I’m The Mom of an Addict…

  1. LuAnn Wagner says:
    March 10, 2017 at 3:20 pm

    I have a different outcome of being a enabler to my son who is an addict.
    May 2008 was the beginning of the understanding that we were in hell when my son first overdosed on Heroin and fetanyal Our world as we knew it changed forever.
    Our son Ken David Wagner on 6-1-2011 overdosed on xanax. He died and after 4 shots of narcan he came back to us but he was left to long without oxygen and suffered an Anoxic Brain Injury. He can’t walk talk or see. Lives in a wheel chair and his bed needs 24/7 care. He is given his meds and liquid diet through a g tube in his stomach. He is fully aware of what happened and the life he now suffers through because of his addiction disease. His goals and dreams will never be accomplished. Our lives are unrecognizable to me. I never knew your heart never stops breaking 💔 Since we lost our son to addiction when he was 16 years old. Loosing a child to this disease and then to have to watch him suffer to survive is cruel. His brain injury has left him in constant pain some if it is managed with medication but there are times daily that the muscle and nerve spasms are overwhelming to him. As parents how do you have a normal life like others do when our child suffers everyday?

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    • Sandy Swenson says:
      March 13, 2017 at 3:50 pm

      Oh, LuAnn, my heart aches for you. For your son. The devastation of addiction has no bounds. It does seem that the heart can and will continue breaking forever. I hope that somehow, someway, you can find some peace in the midst of this ongoing suffering and tragedy. I wish I had some formula to share that would help you to make life even a little bit normal again. But you are not alone on your journey. I’m holding your hand with my heart. xoxoxox

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  2. Gg says:
    March 11, 2017 at 5:27 am

    How can I watch the full video of the Mom of an addict?

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Desha says:
    March 11, 2017 at 9:54 am

    Maybe a documentary of his day to day life that can then be shown at schools or revovery meetings. If it helps just one person it would be worth it. I lost my son 2/24/17. 🙏🏻

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Theresa Gratis says:
    March 11, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    I loved this video. No matter how much you try to do and help,the addict themself has to pick themselves up from sometimes numerous failures and keep going on to a better life. It’s not a easy task,but it can be done. God Bless all who are recovering addicts. We have one in our family and I’m so proud of how he is doing now.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Jan says:
    March 11, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks for sharing

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Kim says:
    March 12, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story.

    Liked by 1 person

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