| Compare a family to a building. Each member is a | | | | It is equally important for family members to |
| pillar: equally important in the security, strength, and | | | | participate in a drug rehab program. When a loved |
| stability of that building. When one family member is | | | | one has shown weakness, family members should |
| struck by drug addiction, that pillar is weakened. The | | | | never turn their backs on him or her. Instead, they |
| rood begins to shake and all other members are | | | | should do everything possible to point their loved one |
| equally affected. The shift of weight calls for other | | | | back into the right direction, and to follow up by |
| family members to show more strength than they | | | | showing support as this family member is enrolled in a |
| are used to. | | | | drug rehab program. |
| Adjusting to a suddenly unbalanced shift in weight is | | | | Aside from the obvious reason (showing support) it is |
| never easy, and cannot last for very long. A family is | | | | also important that family participate in a drug rehab |
| built to work together, to "hold it together" in | | | | program because they too have been affected by |
| moments of weakness... but only for short periods of | | | | addiction. The education and counseling programs are |
| time. Once other pillars begin to weaken as a result | | | | designed to help each individual family member |
| of their increased burden... the entire family can | | | | understand his or her role in the addiction and |
| collapse. It is very important for family members to | | | | recovery process. |
| intervene on drug or alcohol addiction, and to | | | | Even if a building has collapsed, family members who |
| encourage a loved one to seek out the help found in | | | | participate in a drug rehab program often go on to |
| a drug rehab program. | | | | build a stronger unit than before. |