Lessons from Laura
| Website: | https://interactlifeline.com |
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| Name: | Carolyn Bradfield |
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January 2018 would have been the month Laura turned 30. Unfortunately, her journey ended on December 21, 2017, when she overdosed on Meth and died when her heart stopped and she wasn't revived in time to save her brain. Carolyn Bradfield, Laura's mother, spent January 2018 dedicated to sharing the lessons learned from her struggles in hopes it reaches, educates and touches other families.
Lessons from Laura
Written by Carolyn Bradfield in January 2018
Laura's mother has chronicled her family's journey through substance abuse, addiction, recovery and relapse as a way to share personal stories that are designed to teach families how to identify the risk of developing the disease of addiction and strategies to keep them safer as they navigate through a very complex world where substance abuse has become a pandemic.
Who was Laura?
Laura was the type of child every parent wishes for. She was joyful, had friends, was a great student, excelled at soccer, was a brownie and girl scout, made good grades, and stayed well away from trouble. That changed when she turned 15 and began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. She developed the disease of addiction quickly and it progressed over the 15 years she struggled with it until it took her life in December 2017 a month before her 30th birthday.
Could this happen to you?
90% of those who become addicted to drugs or alcohol do so before their 18th birthday and 1 in 10 children have the genetic predisposition to develop the disease. Children may be perfectly normal, but be at elevated risk due to family histories of addiction, experiences they have in childhood or the inability to stay emotionally regulated. Could it happen to your family? The answer unfortunately is yes.
What will the lessons teach you?
Laura's mother has the privilege of looking back over 15 years of Laura's struggle and the years leading up to Laura developing the disease. This insight gives you thoughts about the warning signs that may not be obvious, what she should have known as a parent, and the preventative measures she would have put in place during Laura's lifetime.
