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choices. They can continue to blame their parents or to assume <br />the responsibility for their own choices and exercise the power <br />to change. "these parents have a great responsibility to the <br />adolescent; to see that help is received in making these choices. <br />The parent who assumes responsibility for the adolescent's <br />drug abuse enables the adolescent to form a system of alibis and <br />excuses for the drug -taking behavior. This parent sends a mes- <br />sage to the adolescent that reads, "No wonder you are using <br />drugs, you've had such a rough life." Or the reverse, "No <br />wonder you are using drugs, I've given you too much and <br />spoiled you rotten." Such a young person may be able to <br />compile a long list of "reasons why" that all avoid the essential <br />truth of, "The reason why I uce drugs is because 1 like thee».' <br />A parent who has felt and acted as ;f he or she was responsible <br />for the adolescent's drug problem will often be prone to assume <br />responsibility for continuing recovery after treatment. This <br />parent will be tempted to follow the adolescent out into the <br />world, making sure he or she is doing what should be done for <br />proper recovery. The adolescent in this situation can easily <br />re'::.y,iish responsibility for resumption of drug use. <br />Adolescents make choices and so do parents. An adolescent <br />can choose to use drugs or not. An adolescent can choose to <br />blame others or not. And an adolescent can ch, lose to recover or <br />not. Parents can choose to assume responsibility 1v or for. A <br />parent is responsible 4o the adolescent to give love, honesty, <br />food, clothing, safety within the home, limits within which one <br />can grow, and a healthy role model. An adolescent chooses % hat <br />to do with these things and has respons:bility for those choices. <br />6 <br />"We admitted we were powerless?" <br />