"The Moment You Know: When Denial Fades and Reality Hits"

There’s a moment—one you never forget—when you realize your child isn’t just experimenting, acting out, or going through a phase. It’s the moment when denial starts to slip away, and reality settles in: They need help, and this is bigger than you ever imagined.

As a mother, nothing prepares you for this. The late-night worry turns into fear, the excuses you once made don’t hold up anymore, and the person standing in front of you feels like a stranger. Addiction and drug-induced mental illness don’t just take hold overnight—it creeps in, little by little, until suddenly, you can’t ignore it anymore.

In this episode, I’m taking you back to the beginning—the moment I knew my child needed help. The signs I missed, the excuses I made, and the fear that came with stepping out of denial and into the unknown. If you’re in this place, feeling lost and overwhelmed, you are not alone.

Let’s talk about what happens when you first face the truth, how to navigate those early stages of acceptance, and why the most important thing you can do is start taking care of yourself too.