Why Parents Need to Understand Its Life-Saving Benefits
By: Donna Marston – CRSW
www.SharingWithOutShame.com
When your teen or adult child is struggling with addiction, the desire to see them recover can overshadow everything else. As parents, we want to protect them, to stop their pain, and to see them live healthy, fulfilled lives. But what happens when the traditional approach of abstinence- only isn’t the immediate solution? This is where harm reduction can make a profound difference.
Harm reduction is often misunderstood as enabling or supporting drug use, but in reality, it’s a strategy that can save lives and provide a path to healing. It’s about meeting your child where they’re at and providing support in a way that may reduce their risk of dying while keeping the door open for them to seek recovery.
“The goal is not to eliminate all risk, but to reduce the harm caused by risky behavior.” — Dr. Gabor Maté, Canadian physician specializing in trauma, addiction, and stress
This quote speaks directly to the heart of harm reduction. It’s not about expecting perfection or demanding immediate sobriety. It’s about keeping your child safe while giving them the space to choose a better path. Sometimes, that means offering resources like Narcan, fentanyl test strips, syringe access programs, or utilizing the Never Use Alone program. These tools help keep your child alive while they work through the tough journey of recovery.
“When we accept, we are able to see things for what they are and how they can
evolve.” - Tara Brach – Psychologist, Author & Spiritual Teacher
Parents often struggle to understand harm reduction because they associate it with condoning their loved one’s active addiction. It can feel like you’re accepting your child’s addiction rather than working toward its end. But acceptance isn’t about giving up, it’s about embracing the reality of the situation, so you can begin to change it. Harm reduction is about showing compassion without enabling the behavior. It allows parents to stay engaged and offer support while avoiding burnout or enabling cycles.
The world of addiction and recovery is complex and ever-changing. This journey can feel like you’re walking on a tightrope, where every decision feels like it could have life-or-death consequences and the truth is, they do, however, harm reduction can offer you the flexibility to respond to the evolving needs of your child without sacrificing your own well-being. It’s a reminder that change doesn’t happen all at once, and small steps can still lead to profound transformations.
Harm reduction isn’t a guarantee that your child will survive, however, it often provides the tools and support that can make a life-saving difference. When your teen or adult child is struggling with addiction, the desire to see them recover can overshadow everything else. As parents, we want to protect them, to stop their pain, and to see them live healthy, happy lives. But what happens when the traditional approach of abstinence-only isn’t the immediate solution? This is where harm reduction can make a profound difference.
Choosing harm reduction is not about accepting addiction as a permanent condition; it’s about protecting lives and holding onto the possibility of recovery. At Sharing Without Shame, we believe that every family, no matter where they are on the journey, deserves the opportunity to heal and the hope of a brighter future. Harm reduction isn’t about giving up, it’s about creating space for change, fostering compassion, and ensuring that the door to recovery remains open. Every small step taken today can lead to a life-saving tomorrow.
How might embracing harm reduction help you support your loved one while holding onto hope for their recovery?