When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it can be hard to know how to help. Families often find themselves navigating difficult decisions, strained relationships, and emotions they never expected to face. They shouldn’t have to figure it all out alone.
Kathie McKinney knows what it’s like to navigate that reality in her own family. Kathie recently joined the End It For Good podcast to share what she has learned as the parent of two young adults who struggle with addiction and mental health. Her journey eventually led her to facilitate a family support group in her community.
One of the biggest benefits, she says, is simply being around other people who understand. “That kind of community around you,” Kathie said, “makes you feel not so isolated.”
But family support groups offer more than a place to share frustrations – they give families practical tools to navigate the countless decisions that come with loving someone who is struggling, and space to work on skills and strategies that increase the likelihood that their loved ones will seek recovery.
Kathie has learned to pause before reacting, recognize her own emotions, and think through her choices instead of responding from a place of crisis. This has allowed her to disregard voices that insist there’s a one-size-fits all approach for addiction, and choose instead the best path forward for her situation. She has also learned communication skills that help her maintain connection with her children.
Kathie found that when her children feel less criticized or judged, they are more willing to talk openly with her about what they are experiencing.
And perhaps most importantly, Kathie has learned that supporting her children does not mean putting her own life on hold. “I feel like I am just a calmer, happier person, and I still have two kids struggling,” she said, “you begin to build a life … that exists whether or not your loved one is using substances.” At the same time, by focusing on her own life, her children saw their own reasons to make healthier choices more clearly.
Families deserve support, practical tools, and a community where they can be honest about what they’re experiencing. Kathie’s experience shows that supporting someone through addiction does not have to mean living in constant crisis. With the right tools and a community that understands, families can find more connection, more confidence, and even more joy along the way!