By: Chelsea Cashiola

2/10/2021

If you are anything like me, you know how important education is. If there is a subject that you are affected by or interested in, you educate yourself in order to obtain more knowledge. So, what happens when you are suffering from a mental illness, addiction, or disorder? As you go through the recovery and treatment process, you obtain knowledge about what is affecting you in order to start healing and learning to cope. However, in any type of mental illness, addiction, or disorder, it takes a support system, including family. But what happens when the family refuses to educate themselves? There is a lack of understanding, support, compassion and it can create even more conflict for the person trying to heal. In my personal experience, I have had family that has chosen to educate themselves, as well as those that have refused to do so. I look at the bigger picture, I am grateful to have some of my family understand and support my recovery. While there are parts of my family that do not, God blessed me with a “non-blood” family, but family non the less. My support system is what I make it, I choose to surround myself with a “family” that understands, supports, and encourages me in my healing and recovery journey. Just like the old saying goes: “you are who you hang around” and as much as I resented my mother for preaching that to me as a kid, it is more relevant in my life today than ever. I choose those that have the same values in life and understand the importance of my recovery, my healing and growth, and most importantly, contribute to my relationship with Christ. Because in Christ- my people are my family, the cross is what makes them so, not DNA.