A New Year Means New Hope That Change Is Possible

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A New Year Means New Hope That Change Is Possible
(1888 PressRelease) The Family Resource Center
provides an online destination for families and
individuals struggling with a loved one's drug
and alcohol addiction. Philadelphia, PA-NJ - The
start of a new year is a time for reflection, for
making plans and setting goals, for looking with
hope toward what the future may bring. But for
millions of Americans, a new year often brings
anxiety that life as they know it may never
improve. That is the reality of addiction.
The Family Resource Center, a free, online
resource, exists to provide hope that 2017 won't
be another year filled with anguish, regret and
the devastating fear of loss for people
struggling to assist a child suffering from drug
and alcohol addiction. The center's message is
simple Help is available, and there is no shame
in reaching out. The Family Resource Center
(http//www.familyresourcectr.org) was created by
the Treatment Research Institute, a nonprofit
translational research and policy organization
based in Philadelphia, that champions substance
use and abuse research. Since 1992, TRI has
worked to develop, incorporate and transform
research into proven results for combating
addiction and its social stigma, and educating
the public about all stages of addiction -
prevention, intervention, treatment and
recovery. It is a known fact that addiction is a
treatable, medical illness. Yet, across the U.S.,
one in 10 adolescent children who experiment with
drugs and alcohol still become addicted. That
illness often breeds confusion, anger and a
feeling of hopelessness in the lives of anyone
trying to help course-correct the child's
destructive spiral - whether a parent, sibling,
relative, legal guardian, educator, counselor or
friend.
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Beating the illness often is as much about
addressing the personal toll that such a fight
takes on the mental and physical well-being of
the individuals providing support. "Addiction is
not a private disease. It touches everyone who
interacts with a young person struggling with
addiction," said Abigail Woodworth, TRI's vice
president of public affairs. "We strive to give
those people the knowledge they need so they know
that hope is not lost and that this is a fight
that can be won." Sometimes it's as simple as
making sure that the information received is
accurate and on point. While technology today
means that caregivers and loved ones can
instantly access a wealth of advice online, there
remains the danger of misinformation and the
damage it can cause. The Family Resource Center
is a directory of verified and vetted resources
supported by scientific data and research and
authored by national experts that can provide
valuable information about a wealth of critical
topics How to prevent drug or alcohol
use How to intervene early if you suspect a
loved one is becoming addicted How to locate
treatment facilities and find the right treatment
approach How to best support adolescents
undergoing addiction recovery. More so, the
website provides encouragement, reassurance and
access to toll-free helplines and local support
agencies to ensure individuals take better care
of themselves while they fight to save someone
they love. If someone you love is suffering from
drug or alcohol addiction, please contact the
Treatment Research Institute and the Family
Resource Center for assistance, support and the
resources needed to help you prepare to assist
them on the journey to recovery.