A MEMOIR

 

“Turn your back and run,” they told her.“ Addicts are all the same.” But how does a mother turn her back on her son?

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Early October 2019, Stephanie Hammond received the call she’d dreaded for years. Her son, Charlie, had been arrested. He been addicted to one substance or another since he was 14-years-old. It became his response to emotional trauma, and Charlie had had more than his share of trauma.

When his habit escalated into dealing, her worst nightmare became a reality: prison visits, bail, parole, and much, much more.

An Addict in the Family is an intimate memoir of a mother's love as she endeavours to reconnect with her son and navigate the maze of justice and drug rehabilitation services.

In this heart-breaking example of how addiction affects not just the addict but also their families, there is a reminder that you are not alone, and that there is the hope for finding peace once again.

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​A three-year roller-coaster ride begins with a phone call for help. My son is arrested for dealing and using methamphetamine. What follows is a harrowing struggle of court appearances, struggles with the incongruities within the justice system, and fruitless attempts to help my son find a drug rehabilitation facility that can help him.

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For the next two years I seek help and healing for my son, at the expense of my own health and relationships. Finally, I find a support group for people like me and, through kindness and sharing, I find the strength and resilience to carry on. I find out that the healing I seek is really for myself. Through the kindness, sharing and love of this group I learn to differentiate between my son and the effects of addictive substances on his actions. 

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I eventually find the resilience to affirm my unconditional love for him even though, in the end, he chooses the world of his addiction over connection with his family. 

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