You didn't cause it. You can't control it. You can't cure it. Somewhere in this, someone has probably said this to you, and you've probably nodded, because it's true. But there's a difference between hearing those words and knowing what to do with them.

Not being able to control your child's addiction isn't the same as being powerless in it. There's a space between the two that's rarely named.

You'll hear how "I can't control this" can quietly turn into "I'm powerless," and why that shift matters. Why some of the most established names in family recovery work have kept adding to these three sentences over the years. And a way of thinking about who you're choosing to be in this, regardless of what your child does next.

"You can't control it" can easily be heard as "there's nothing you can do." Understanding the difference changes what's available to you, not for your child's outcome, but for how you hold this.

Listen to this episode of Journey Beyond the Chaos.

If this episode felt familiar, you'll want You Are Not Broken — my free guide for mums in exactly this place. Get it here →