Writer Cathy Cassata wrote “If you witness something and have the ability to do something, you should, even if it’s reaching out to the family and saying ‘addiction is part of my family and I know how it goes. Please let me know if I can help in any way’.” She advocates for making it your business and intervening. There are ways you can help. Listen to a group of people who have been addicted to opiates talk about their experiences and opinions about possible interventions to help a child who is the victim of substance abuse.

Discussion Guide:

If you raised children, while you were actively engaged in an addiction, did someone reach out to them in order to help? If so, was it helpful?

If you learned that a child was suffering from a parent’s substance abuse, would you intervene?

If you chose to intervene, how would you do it?

What would you want this child to understand about their parent’s substance abuse?

Supplemental Reading:  Cathy Cassata, How to Help Children of Alcoholics https://www.mitadone.com/blogs/news/how-to-help-children-of-alcoholics