The streaming service Netflix offers an intriguing and popular series, Grace and Frankie. The show follows the exploits of two California women, Grace (played by Jane Fonda) and Frankie (portrayed by Lily Tomlin) after their husbands leave to marry each other.
Although they are superficially very different and haven’t not been close in the past, the two women grow to form a bond based on their similar personal situations. More than an Odd Couple-type show, Grace and Frankie demonstrates how partnerships and social interactions, even unlikely ones, can help people make the best of bad situations.
This is especially true for people who have struggled with substance use disorder, when other people can make all the difference between addiction and sobriety. Help from other people can come in the form of
- Medical professionals. Detoxing from drugs and alcohol is an important early step in the recovery process. But since the human body can become reliant on such substances, quitting them can produce intense results. That’s where qualified medical professionals can help by managing drug cravings and easing withdrawal symptoms.
- Therapists. Examining WHY people abuse drugs and alcohol could be crucial in helping people quit and stay away from such substances. Therapists can be crucial to helping people uncover the reasons why.
- Coworkers. Having jobs can give people a sense of accomplishment and reduce feelings of worthlessness. These positive feelings might replace negative feelings that could drive people to abuse drugs and alcohol. Working also keeps people busy, so they have less time to search for and use drugs.
- Friends and relatives. Spending time with supportive friends and family members can boost your mood, confidence, and self-esteem. Again, these positive feelings could prevent people from abusing substances.
Yes, people in real life aren’t likely to encounter the exact same situations that Grace, Frankie, and other sitcom characters face. That doesn’t mean, however, that real people can’t experience the same warmth, humor, and quirkiness that their fictional sisters and brothers encounter one episode at a time.
