Entries by Andy Buccaro

How to Help an Alcoholic Parent – A Guide for Families

When your parents struggle with alcohol, the impact ripples through the entire family, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Helping an alcoholic parent is emotionally complex and deeply personal. You may feel torn between love, responsibility, and fear. But support is possible, for your parents and for yourself. Families play a powerful role in recovery, and your […]

Families in Recovery – Rebuilding Trust and Support Together

Addiction affects the whole family, not just the individual. But recovery can too. Family recovery refers to the healing process that family members go through when a loved one is recovering from addiction. It involves emotional support, setting healthy boundaries, and often participating in counseling or educational programs to rebuild trust and communication. Read on […]

How to Help an Addict Without Enabling –  Key Strategies for Support

Helping someone struggling with addiction is never easy.  The emotional toll on loved ones can be overwhelming, especially when trying to find the right balance between offering support and unintentionally enabling their destructive behaviors.  How to help an addict without enabling can be a delicate line to walk, on one hand, you want to help […]

Being Married to an Alcoholic – How to Cope and Heal

Being married to an alcoholic is an emotionally complex and challenging experience that can take a toll on your mental and physical well-being.  The constant uncertainty, stress, and emotional turmoil of living with someone struggling with alcohol addiction can lead to feelings of isolation and frustration. Relationships often feel imbalanced, as the addict’s behavior can […]

Addiction is a Family Disease – 10 Ways Substance Use Disorder Affects Families

Addiction doesn’t happen in isolation—it sends shockwaves through entire families, leaving emotional, financial, and relational turmoil in its wake, showing just how addiction affects families on every level. Why is Addiction a Family Disease? Addiction is called a family disease because it affects not just the person using substances, but everyone close to them. It […]

How to Help an Alcoholic Family Member – 8 Essential Steps

Alcoholism affects millions of families worldwide, with studies showing that almost 19 million children in the U.S. live with at least one parent who struggles with alcohol addiction. To help an alcoholic family member you should offer compassionate support while encouraging treatment and healthy boundaries, all while educating yourself about addiction and prioritizing your own […]

How to Help an Alcoholic Daughter – A Practical Guide for Families

Watching your daughter struggle with alcoholism is heartbreaking and confusing. Knowing how to help an alcoholic daughter starts with understanding that alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic disease that affects the brain, making it difficult for her to control alcohol consumption despite the consequences. Recognizing that AUD is a medical condition, not a moral […]

Children of Alcoholic Parents – What Families Need to Know

Growing up with an alcoholic parent can deeply impact a child’s emotional and psychological well-being. In 2025, it’s estimated that over 11 million children in the United States are living with at least one parent who struggles with alcohol use disorder (AUD) (Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). Children of alcoholic parents often […]

Effects of Drug Addiction on Family Members – 10 Major Effects

Drug addiction doesn’t just affect the individual—it sends shockwaves through entire families.  From emotional distress and broken trust to financial strain and disrupted roles, the fallout can be overwhelming.  This article outlines the far-reaching effects addiction has on family members and offers a path forward through understanding, support, and healing.  If you’re navigating this struggle, […]