Many times parents search for a way to help their children. I worked with a mom who had a terrific son. He was friendly, warm and often was able to consider other’s feelings. When he was in college, partying became his primary passion.

His mom began to talk to him about his addiction issues and he was very hostile. He made her feel like the enemy because she was bringing him down. It took until he was thrown out of school that it dawned on him that his actions were harming his future.

He was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder and addiction. His high use of club drugs like Molly were part of his mental illness. His goal was to live in a world where he had no worries or responsibilities.

Once he became older, he started to shift his thinking. He saw that he had a bright potential. His gift with others would work towards him establishing a career. He ended up slowly starting to accept and deal with his issues. He is now an adult that works, has a family and is thriving.

The main lesson in helping him is that he was in denial. He had all the reasons why his behavior was not a big deal. It took his mom persisting and being thrown out of college to finally open his eyes. If his mom did not act strongly he may have continued down a dark and hopeless road. As a parent, you are the main support system for your kids. You need to teach them that there is a way to handle issues. It ends up that having a strong parent allowed him to find the right help and rebuild his future. This might be the best lesson a parent can provide their children.