Beverly Conyers > Quotes

“For almost every addict who s mired in this terrible disease, other -- a mother or father, a child or spouse, an aunt or uncles or grandparents, a brother or sister -- are suffering too. Families are the hidden victims of addiction, enduring enormous levels of stress and pain. They suffer sleepless nights, deep anxiety, and physical exhaustion brought on by worry and desperation. They lie awake for hours on end as fear for their loved one's safety crowds out any possibility of sleep. They liveeach day with a weight inside that drags them down. Unable to laugh or smile, they are sometimes filled with bottled-up anger or a constant sadness that keeps them on the verge of tears.”
― Beverly Conyers, Addict In The Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery

“Few experiences in life quite match the feelings of horror, fear, helplessness, and grief that families experience when someone they love becomes addicted to alcohol or other drugs. They watch in dismay as the addict becomes alienated from the family and undergoes profound changes. Activities that once brought the addict pleasure are abandoned, old friends are pushed away, and the addict withdraws into a world that is inaccesible to anyone who tries to help.”
― Beverly Conyers, Addict In The Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery

“The truth most families eventually discover is that no one can cure another person's addiction. Omly addicts can do that for themselves.”
― Beverly Conyers, Addict In The Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery

“bedrock of recovery is abstinence from addictive, mood-altering chemicals. But it is also true that for sobriety to be achieved and maintained, our loved one needs to work through multiple layers of dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. She must replace unhealthy attitudes and belief systems with new ways of thinking and understanding. And she must acquire new skills for long-term management of a chronic disease.”
― Beverly Conyers, Everything Changes: Help for Families of Newly Recovering Addicts