Tough Love: How Parents Can Deal with Drug Abuse

by Pauline Neff

Tough Love is hope. It is help. It is a way of recovery for drug abusers, and a positive, supportive program for their families. Tough Love is a gift of love and a gift of life for those who practice its plan. It is a book for all parents, especially those whose children are now on drugs or are exposed to those who use drugs. Pauline Neff has gathered enthralling, real-life accounts of young drug users who needed help and of their parents' role in seeing that they received it. Eight families describe, in very graphic, heartrending terms, how their children successfully beat the drug habit through The Palmer Drug Abuse Program. PDAP is a privately financed twelve-step program, similar to the steps of AA. Ms. Neff explains each step to show how families can interpret and work through these steps in their own lives. Thousands of young people have found help through this method. Families have been reunited, and parents' own lives have been changed drastically in the process. If you are a parent of a young person in America today, Tough Love may be the most important book you will ever read. It may save your life.

Genres: Parenting

158 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an revised edition of the classic. I read it at the recommendation of a mental health therapist who thought that I could use a little help dealing with some familial issues.

While the book offered a handful of examples of families who had managed to help their children overcome their drug issues, along with their own personal issues that definitely contributed to their children's issues (including parental neglect - self absorption with their own issues, parental sexual abuse, parental physical abuse - none of which apply in my case), it didn't offer much to a parent who doesn't have those issues. I wasn't terribly impressed with the structure - lots of "feel good stories" but not a lot of substance. For me there isn't really a whole lot of actual information in the book that I felt was useful to my specific situation.

I did photocopy a section of the book that explains what the 12 Steps are and how to "work" them. Hopefully if I do this for long enough it will make help.