Does Treatment Work? - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

gloriakaye · 03-13-2003, 08:34 AM

I have a 19 yr old son on meth. He is stealing, lying and getting into trouble, his health is also going downhill! Those of you who have or are going thru this would you take treatment if offered to you or does a person have to sit by and watch until they hit bottom before treatment will do any good. As far as we are concerned he has hit bottom, but he does not see it this way. What kind of treatment is best! How do you convince someone they need help? How does one see the world on meth? This young man has two loving parents and a beautiful girlfriend who want to help him but don't know where to start. He still lives at home, does not work. Alot of people tell us,including my husband, we need to kick him out. I cannot bring myself to do this. I am not in denial, I know he has a drug problem. Thanks for listening

BlueSkies · 03-13-2003, 08:45 AM

I think you need to put him in a treatment program. Even if he doesn't want to go, it is possible that once he has a day or 2 when he's sober, he might see things differently.

He is on the road to long term jail or health problems, you have to do something drastic.

GinaLee · 03-13-2003, 01:46 PM

My God, I do feel for you; our children are so precious to us. To see them doing as your son is has to be heartbreaking at best. I understand your need to put him into treatment but unless he is one that can do a 12-step program (not many can) you might want to try some alternative treatment for him... I know they are out there but I don't really have any real information on this.

Right now, you should really find some comfort for yourself; and then find your inner strength and confront him.
If he still lives with you; tell him you refuse to watch him kill himself in front of you; he has to move out.
If you have a substantial estate…tell him he will be disinherited unless he gets help for himself.

There are all kinds of threats you can make… and every one of them can backfire and turn south without notice. But your own well-being is being compromised; he’s already shown that he will do whatever it takes to feed his addiction, you can’t let this continue. I know it is hard to pull in the reigns but if you can think of it as doing it for him…one day he’ll realize your love for him and thank you for saving his life.

Whereas I don’t think AA or NA is for everyone; I do think that Al-anon is really a good support outlet for the ones who are suffering as you are. You need support…lots of it.

------------------
Gina

openseason · 03-13-2003, 02:59 PM

The expensive treatment programs do not work any better than the inexpensive programs. What does seem to work is a program that has the addict doing some kind of work along with 25 hours of counseling a week. If he does not want to stop using meth then he will resist the program. What I am saying is look for an inexpensive program before an expensive one.