The Sunlight of the Spirit: Help for Families in Addiction Recovery in Pittsburgh & Southwestern Pennsylvania. 412-429-1047

Family Support Groups • Family Therapists • Grief and Bereavement Specialists • 12-Step Work Shops • Meditation Groups & Yoga
Speaker’s Bureau • Workshops & Seminars • Al-Anon Meetings • Experience • Strength • Hope • Childcare Available

FAQ's: Getting Help When You Love a Problem Drinker or Drug User

Questions

  1. My daughter’s a drug addict. She’s the one with the problem. Why should I come to The Sunlight of the Spirit?
  2. Why not just go to Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, or Gam-Anon?
  3. I’ve been going to Al-Anon for years. How can SOS help me?
  4. If I attend an SOS program, will it help my spouse, who’s an alcoholic, get well?
  5. My husband and I both enjoy having a few drinks every evening with dinner.  Should we come to SOS?
  6. Is my own drinking a problem?
  7. I don’t live with an alcoholic or drug addict but I am an adult child of an alcoholic. Can SOS help me to deal with some of the issues from my childhood?

Answers

  1. My daughter’s a drug addict. She’s the one with the problem. Why should I come to The Sunlight of the Spirit?
    Addiction is a family disease.  It impacts each and every person in the family.  SOS can help you to better understand the disease, see how your life has been effected, and teach you the coping skills you need to begin your own recovery.
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  2. Why not just go to Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, or Gam-Anon?
    Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, and Gam-Anon are mutual support groups based on the 12-Steps and have been helping families cope with a loved one’s addiction for many years.   Sometimes families need more help than what these self-help groups can provide. The Sunlight of the Spirit is a professionally-led program that offers education, support and respite for the entire family.  We believe in the benefits of self-help programs and incorporate their concepts into all of our services.
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  3. I’ve been going to Al-Anon for years. How can SOS help me?
    Family members are often devastated by the disease of addiction and may need professional support in the form of structured services.  SOS helps family members build a solid recovery foundation that includes Al-ANON. SOS completely supports all of the family mutual support programs offered in the recovering community.
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  4. If I attend an SOS program, will it help my spouse, who’s an alcoholic, get well?
    While SOS cannot make any guarantees, research has shown that when one family member gets well, it increases the likelihood of recovery for all family members.
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  5. My husband and I both enjoy having a few drinks every evening with dinner.  Should we come to SOS?
    If you think you might have a problem with drinking (or using drugs), you just might.  Our staff is available to help you sort this out.
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  6. Is My Own Drinking a Problem?

    Try this CAGE questionarie to get an idea:

    Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?
    Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
    Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
    Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (Eye opener)?

    If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to talk to a professional. The Sunlight of the Spirit is a resource.

    Developed by Dr. John Ewing, founding Director of the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CAGE is an internationally used assessment instrument for identifying alcoholics.
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  7. I don’t live with an alcoholic or drug addict but I am an adult child of an alcoholic. Can SOS help me to deal with some of the issues from my childhood?
    Yes, the SOS program is sensitive to adult child issues.  Growing up with an alcoholic can have lasting effects on us.  SOS can help, through our weekend experiences, one-day programs, family support groups, and individual sessions.
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