Close to one-third of American adults say they or someone in their family has been addicted to opioids, according to a recent
"We both kind of in unison started weeping," said Brendan, now 38."And Dad said we're going to get you help." The main advice they got was to be tough — to not tolerate Brendan's drug use because that would enable it. Other parents told Ken and Barbara their children didn't get better until they refused to let them come home if they were using drugs.
"The moment I saw his eyes, something was different," Brendan said."I'll never forget the look on his face, and it was just a mixture of love and sadness." Brendan was adamant he wanted to visit his dying mother, even though it would mean losing his spot in the treatment program. Ken worried this could jeopardize his son's recovery.
Brendan’s graduation from Bentley University in 2017 with his siblings. He was five years sober at this time. Her approach has critics. Some people who run support groups for loved ones point out that many families already carry a heavy load. They often take on the burden of navigating the treatment system and, in some cases, the legal system. They canto their own physical and mental health from shouldering the ups and downs of addiction. They also point to people who say they stopped using drugs only because they faced tough consequences.