A Mother and Son’s Discussion on Addiction and Recovery

Emily Harman and William Wilhelm

Addiction and Recovery – An Inspirational Story

Emily Harman, host of Onward Podcast, interviews her son William Wilhelm. William shares his difficult yet triumphant journey of moving onward from drug and alcohol addiction. Find out the successful methods William used to get clean. In addition, William shares the dark dilemmas that an addictive lifestyle can produce.  Furthermore, learn valuable advice for parents coping with a child abusing substances. Finally, learn the positive ways William’s life has changed since he entered recovery. 

Episode Highlights: 

  • Emily Harman introduces her son William Wilhelm.
  • William talks about having to move onward from addiction to drugs and alcohol. 
  • How serious was William’s alcohol addiction? 
  • How did William get help? 
  • William discusses a point where he embraced being an alcoholic because he saw no way out. 
  • William and Emily discuss signs that may indicate someone is someone addicted to drugs or alcohol.
  • When did William’s addictive tendencies begin? 
  • When was the first time William drank alcohol?
  • What is the story behind William trying to grow mushrooms?
  • How did William and his friend feel about their parents banding together to communicate about their children’s behavior? 
  • What was Wilderness Therapy like for William? 
  • William discusses Space Camp, his senior year in public school, and drug tests. 
  • William shares the positive ways his life has changed since becoming clean. 
  • Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. 
  • Give yourself credit for the good things that you do. 
  • How did William get a felony charge and how is he looking to expunge it from his record? 
  • Have patience to turn your life around through taking baby steps, don’t try to do it all at once. 

3 Key Points:

William’s advice: When your child is abusing drugs and alcohol, show support but don’t force them to go to rehab. Make it an option because they may rebel against an ultimatum. It has to be the addict that decides to seek help and change. 

Make sure that you aren’t enabling an addict by giving them money that they may not spend on necessities. Fill up their gas tank, buy them food, don’t give them money.

William has been drug and alcohol free for over 2.5 years. He is a college student studying Electrical Engineering. He has a girlfriend and is the only father her three year-old son has known. They have a budget, two reliable cars, live within their means, and have savings. There is hope. Parents, do not give up. Love, but do not enable your child. 

Tweetable Quotes:

“I’ve come this far in every situation I’ve come through or had come my way. I’ve gotten through them. So, I didn’t really have anything to fear, because I was going to get there one way or another.” – William Wilhelm

“My blood-alcohol content was .39 and I was already starting to get shaky hands from the withdrawal symptoms. That’s like twice dead. Some people get to .18 and they’re dead.” – William Wilhelm on his condition when he asked for help

 “Knowing that someone thought that I was like that made me see that in myself in other situations.” – William Wilhelm addressing entitlement issues

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