Teen Mom Amber Portwood Leaves Rehab
Teen Mom’s Amber Portwood has famously been in and out of rehab and openly discussed her issues with drugs and alcohol as well as her ongoing struggle with anger and depression. Recently, she was spotted getting on a plane headed for her home town Anderson, Indiana, after leaving a Los Angeles drug addiction treatment center.
She reportedly remained at the inpatient rehab program for two months for treatment.
Will She Succeed?
Two months of treatment may not seem like a long time, especially after a suicide attempt in June, but 21-year-old Portwood has a lot to live for. The custody of her 2-year-old daughter, Leah, hangs in the balance, and an ongoing court battle will determine whether or not she is able to have unsupervised visitation with her daughter, for how long, and with what stipulations.
Fellow Teen Mom Maci Bookout told Us Weekly: “I wish Amber happiness. I think she’s had the toughest time emotionally because she’s very alone. I want her to realize women are, like, the strongest thing on the planet, and that she can do it by herself. I have the most confidence in her.”
Children, Anger, Depression, and Drugs
Children always put a sense of urgency on recovery, whether the issue is solely drug and alcohol abuse or an issue of anger management and depression in combination with addiction. Every day that passes in their childhood is a day missed when a parent is struggling with mental health and addiction issues – it’s also a day that those issues could hurt the child either through neglect or poor choices made by the afflicted parent. It’s important for parents who are dealing with depression and anger to make sure that they learn how to curb the effects of those issues so that the child does not become a victim. And if those effects are exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse, it’s important to get treatment for both issues simultaneously so that you can more effectively heal and get back to the business of parenting.
Don’t Rush It!
While it’s important to go get the help you need when you have children, it’s also important to fully engage and stay as long as necessary to make sure that you get the most out of that care. It’s all a waste of time if you don’t fully commit to the process – your personal process – of healing. If you need sober living after drug rehab, enroll and stay. If you need an extra month in treatment to balance out your medication or to work on specific issues, do what you have to do. Yes, your children will miss you and will want you to come home, but being a responsible parent means making the best choices for your family. If you aren’t done with treatment, then you aren’t better and you are a risk to them. Prioritize their wellbeing and your health above all else.
