This book provides numerous stories of parents' encounters with their children's addictions and what the parents did to come to terms with the disease. Part 1 offers four separate accounts describing the authors' experience with addiction in their four adult children, followed by each child's interpretation of events. In part 2, addictive diseases are discussed, along with their known effects on families, friends, and coworkers. Stories by parents and addicted children are featured in part 3, illustrating a variety of family constellations. The parents tell in their own words how they found their way to serenity in the midst of turmoil. Many found help in Al-Anon, in their churches, in therapy groups, or in other support settings. The last part lists resources, including a bibliography, community resources, audiovisuals, catalogs, and a glossary. It is emphasized that the single most common denominator of parental recovery was membership in a group that both understood the parent's experiences and provided the tools to adjust to the situation. (RJM)