Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) is a national non-profit that provides hope through free education and support to parents of adults dealing with substance use disorder.
A local PAL group meets at the Hyde Wesleyan Church in Clearfield, from 5:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., on Tuesday nights, and also offers Zoom Meeting access for those interested in participating virtually.
Anyone interested in joining is invited to just attend or contact Bobbie Johnson via e-mail, mcjohnsonhrc@gmail.com, to receive a Zoom invite. Families are also encouraged to join the Clearfield PALs Facebook group by “liking” the page and requesting to join.
Families of the addicted are often collateral damage in the war on drugs, sacrificing their health, their finances and their relationships in an effort to save their addicted loved one.
PAL weekly meetings provide a structured, evidence-based curriculum to give parents the tools they need to encourage their loved one’s recovery without enabling their addiction.
Equally important is the opportunity to network with other parents struggling with the same issues, for support and fellowship. Weekly meetings are held at no charge across the country.
The United States was already suffering through the worst drug epidemic in its history before the pandemic hit. With the advent of COVID-19, overdose and addiction figures are now skyrocketing.
“The numbers are heart-breaking: Our federal government is estimating that 6,700 Americans begin to abuse prescription drugs each day … one third of those under the age of 18.
“That’s 2.4 million new drug abusers each year – nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population – and that’s just prescription drugs.
“Heroin use has doubled in five years; heroin deaths are up 500 percent over the past 15 years. Annual drug overdose deaths now exceed deaths by car crashes, guns and AIDS combined. The majority of those in our prisons are there in connection with drugs or drug-related offenses.”
Thousands have been helped by PAL, and as parents learn to deal with their challenges in a healthy way, their children often begin dealing with their addiction in a healthier manner.
For more information on the organization, visit www.palgroup.org or call PAL at 480-300-4712.