Don't Love Them To Death

I've been racking my brain as to how to format this blog, then I thought...why format it at all? If this is going to be a place to learn and vent, why use any form of structure to something that has none?

I want this blog to be for us all, not just about me. This blog should be about all of us, our experiences, and how we deal. I know I have no 'followers' yet, but hopefully, enough people will find this page and participate.

Here's my first piece of advice, although I've yet to use it myself (I give good advice, but that doesn't mean I always follow it)...don't love them to death. That's a line a good friend of mine said after her brother died from an overdose on prescription medication. Yep. He wasn't even using illegally, just using too much.

So, then how do we pull away without constantly living in fear that the next time we talk to them may be the last? Personally, every time certain family members call I hold my breath, terrified they're calling to tell me my brother's dead. I keep telling myself to just pretend he's already dead, but that doesn't work...trust me.

Here's the part where you sound off...have you already loved them to death? Have you pulled away from the addict, or are you holding on as tightly as possible?