Mary describes feeling like she lives in a lighthouse, constantly needing to keep the light shining to prevent her daughter from hitting the rocks. This is a powerful analogy for the struggle of parenting a child dealing with addiction.

The importance of maintaining faith, praying constantly, and trusting one's instincts as a parent is emphasized. Mary shares how she felt God intervened to prevent her from going to church on a day when her daughter nearly overdosed.

Self-care is stressed as crucial, like putting on your own oxygen mask first on an airplane before helping others. Taking care of one's own mental health is key to being able to support a loved one.

The value of finding community and realizing you are not alone in your struggles is highlighted. Hearing other people's stories can provide comfort and a sense of connection.

Key Takeaways:

Maintain hope and faith during the most challenging times

Trust your parental intuition - you know your child best

Prioritize your own well-being so you can better support your loved one

Connect with others who understand your experience

Overall, this conversation offers insight, empathy and practical advice for parents navigating the complex reality of having a child struggle with addiction. The show hosts create a safe space for an open and vulnerable discussion.

Tina always loved running. She has done half and full marathons, but with her daughter’s mental illness, she is exhausted and has no energy to start running again. As a child, her daughter scratched a derogatory statement in the kitchen countertop and blamed it on her brother. Fast forward, she has two children out of wedlock, couch surf, has had restraining orders against her and many other challenging behaviors and issues.

Tina is at a turning point in her life. Can she deal with her daughter’s behaviors and not get involved to a point that exhausts her?

This episode is for you if you struggle with setting boundaries and don’t know how to help without just giving up on your child.

Melissa’s hadn’t even babysat prior to having her daughter. When at two she fought going to bed, she thought it was pretty normal. Not until she looked, did she realize it was way more intense. Melissa turned out to be an overachiever in school and was super active outside school, but she always had issues with keeping friends. Her struggles with relationships continued and both her and her daughter were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now Melissa has spent time away from her daughter and it has really helped her.

This episode is for those that have a difficult relationship with their child and would like to live healthier lives.