If you grew up with parental substance abuse, then you may still be feeling the effects of it because of personal problems you have that are rooted in childhood or because of continuing family problems.

If you are having any difficulty that you think might be related to your experiences or you are struggling with current family problems, there is help. You don’t have to wrestle with this alone.

And if you have tried to obtain help in the past and didn’t experience any noticeable benefit, don’t let that stop you from trying again. It may have been that you were not ready to accept help at the time or that the help you sought was the wrong match. Learning more about your choices and exploring the possibilities now can give you a fresh start.

What do we mean by help

This broad definition also takes into account the fact that everyone benefits from different forms of help. What works for you may or may not work as well for your sibling, friend or classmate. In fact, it often takes some personal exploration – making some phone calls, attending a few meetings or counseling sessions, or reading a variety of pamphlets – to find out which resources feel right for you. You may discover that using several resources for help simultaneously, like individual counseling combined with a self-help group, can be the most beneficial because each offers something the other does not.

• How do you know you need help?

• What kinds of help are available?