“We deny the severity of our loved one's problem not because we are naive, but because we can't know.”

“How innocent we are of our mistakes and how we responsible we are for them.”

“I know there is no point in haranguing him because he will just shut down, but I want to cover every angle.”

“At my worst, I even resented Nic because an addict, at least when high, has a momentary respite from his suffering. There is no similar relief for parents or children or husbands or wives or others who love them.”

“Why does it help to read others' stories? It is not only that misery loves company, because (I learned) misery is too self-absorbed to want much company. Others' experiences did help with my emotional struggle...”

“I'm not sure if I know any 'functional' families, if functional means a family without difficult times and members who don't have a full range of problems.”

“I didn't cause it. I can't control it. I can't cure it.”