I can't put into words how it felt to have my son tell me he hated me.

Or the feeling of doors slammed in my face, cuss words thrown at me,

money disappearing from my wallet... and all of these things at the

hands of my little boy who had grown up too fast and somehow ended up

addicted to crystal meth. 

 

Around 14 he distanced himself from us, but my husband and I just thought it was a stage that all young teenage boys go through. I was unaware that anything was seriously wrong until 16, when it became all too obvious that something was going on. Our doctor told us he had ADD--he couldn't focus. He was always so bored and tired and was failing in school. So we started him on a medication to address these things.  The medications helped in the beginning but then we noticed an addiction forming. He needed more and more  every week, and eventually he needed the medication to get out of bed every day.

 

He slipped through our fingers for 12 years. It took a family intervention on my 26 year old son (11 members of our family came to show their love and support) and a 6 month long term drug rehab program to undo the messes of over a decade of drug use. His counselors kept us a part of the recovery process and phoned us daily or every other day. His individualized program included a medically supervised physical cleanse as well as steps which addressed his guilt, the bridges he burned with his family, the hurtful things he did to his family and his friends and most importantly, the building of a productive, drug free future.

 

Today he is 30, happily married and with a baby on the way. As a family we have all given our apologies and moved on. This is a priceless gift for which I thank everyone who helped our family.

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What may begin as a legitimate use of a prescription pain medication for something such as a back injury or dental work, all too often turns into a prescription drug addiction. Many commonly prescribed prescription pain killers are well known to be addictive, but the justification the physician uses is that they will only give a one-time prescription or that if there is a legitimate underlying pain issue that there is no addiction (in other words the person continues to take the pain medication because they are actually in pain and not because they are addicted). This justification is passed on to the patient who may claim to continue to have pain in order to keep receiving the pain meds. Ironically, the pain meds slow down the healing process and are known to build up acids in the muscles which causes pain, especially when the patient tries to stop taking them, so it becomes a self perpetuating vicious cycle. This person is addicted and can benefit greatly from prescription drug rehab.

Further complicating the issue is the fact that many people have become aware that they can get "high" from taking higher doses of the pain pills. Often patients will invent pains in order to get their doctor to prescribe them some pain pills so that they can sell them to friends and co-workers. Some people actually make quite a little part time income in this way. Many times an addict has convinced themselves that they are not addicted because these are available as a prescribed medication and because they really do have some sort of pain. This is one reason that a prescription drug problem can be more sinister than an addiction to an illicit drug. The other classic form of denial and belief that the user can quit if they choose to also persists. The truth is that the addict needs the help of a qualified prescription drug rehab in order to break free.

A prescription drug rehab will be identical to other types of drug rehab. The first step will be to detox the drugs from the user's system. This can be done with or without the use of medication. Hot saunas and a detox diet may also be of value. The addict will also need counseling and behavior modification therapy. They will need to get to the bottom of any emotional issues that may have lead up to their drug use and find new ways to deal with them. They may also need to find new ways to deal with physical pain, such as proper diet, massage therapy and aromatherapy.

Every type of addiction can be difficult and have a negative effect on all those involved. A prescription drug addiction problem is every bit as menacing as any other type of addiction. Recognizing the problem is the first step. Next comes realizing that you need help. Once you have reached that point, it is time to research a qualified prescription drug rehab and begin treatment. A better tomorrow begins with the choices you make today.

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Last summer, I returned home for a long weekend to visit my family and catch up with dear friends. As soon as I saw him, I knew something was different. He was fidgety. He was always fidgety, but this time he was fidgeting at what seemed to be 100 mph.  We were all gathered at a small local bar to share a drink in the company of old friends. But he was up and down. In and out. Hot and cold. Jumpy. Instead of talking to me, he seemed to look right through me. My heart broke. Not for the lack of sincere attention that was usually so characteristic of him, but for the dear sweet friend I once knew, who seemed to be lost in some other world.

 

His friends had told me earlier that evening that they were worried about him. "If he keeps going like this, he could end up dead in some alley. He is out of control." "What's he on?" I asked. "What is he not on?" his friend replied. His friends didn't know what to do. They had tried to talk to him, and he completely disregarded their concern. He was in control, of course. Why did he need help? That night I approached him at the bar when he was alone. I told him he seemed different, and asked him if he needed "help." I offered my concern. He looked at me with wild eyes, shrieked that he had no idea what I was talking about, and stormed out of the bar. This was not the guy I once knew.

 

I woke up the next morning and tears welled in my eyes just thinking of him. I was scheduled to leave early that evening but I knew in my heart that I could not leave without helping him. The only thing I could think of was to tell his parents what I suspected - because they loved him dearly, and would do everything they could to help him. We always had a very close relationship, and I felt comfortable expressing my concerns to them. And while I had never seen him take drugs with my own eyes, my intuition was never stronger. Within two hours I was sitting on their couch, explaining what I knew. Tears flowed freely amongst us, yet his parents were relieved to finally have an answer. Their suspicion and deepest fear had been confirmed and they were ready to act. The healing could begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Oh, he was angry. I knew he would be. I was afraid of what his friends would think of me, afraid that they would think I was a ‘tattletale'. We were all so young and worried about the superficial. Yet at the same time we were all so very strong. And we didn't even know it. To my relief, when I told his close friends what I had done that day, they stepped up to help. They spoke with his parents too, and together they devised a plan to attract his attention, and attempt an intervention.

A quick stint in a locally-based rehab program failed to reach deep enough, and so a more individualized approach was needed. In their search for help, his parents stumbled upon a long term drug rehab program. And he was on a plane where his life would change forever.

I kept myself busy, and stayed in touch with his friends and family over the next few months, maintaining the status quo. And then, in late autumn I received a handwritten letter from him brimming with honesty and gratitude. He acknowledged how betrayed he initially felt. But then I read the words I had longed to hear him say: You saved my life. I longed for these words not because it spoke to my ego. I longed for them because I was so afraid that I had, quite literally, lost a friend. At that moment my heart soared and started to mend with news of his healing.

He was to graduate soon from a special program that not only helped him physically detoxify, but enabled him to look inside of himself, to address issues that caused his drug use to snowball into addiction, and to free himself from that pain. My dear friend was back, and in better shape than ever: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. His introspection and newfound love and acceptance of self was refreshing, and his plan for the future was inspiring.

He went on to become a role model, and traveled the region educating young kids about the dangers of drugs and the science of addiction. He told them his story. He told them my story. He told OUR story. He reached down into his soul and realized his own essence as a teacher, a motivator, and a beautiful friend, son, and brother.

Now his family and our friends shower me with thanks and with admiration to acknowledging the enormity of his success. I quietly accept the thanks, but I emphasize that it is not at all about me. I tell them I may have been a catalyst, but that the awe-inspiring beauty of his recovery is entirely his own.

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How does a parent handle and accept the fact that a child you have raised and taken good care of is addicted to drugs?
 
For me that was the toughest part to go through.  Once you can admit and accept this to yourself you are on the way to helping your child.
 
 A parent never wants to thinks this can happen to them and their family, but it does everyday.  Society spins so much glamour to our young -- drinking, recreational drugs and hard partying.  They make it seem as if it is their right of passage.
 
After accepting all these sad and horrible realities the next and most important step is finding the best facility to help your child.
 
We first tired an outpatient rehab.  But that was unsuccessful.  I had heard of so many unsuccessful stories of people with addictions and the rehabs they attended.  Many attended 21 or 30 day programs and after being home for awhile relapsed.  This is not what I wanted for my son.  After researching rehabs on the internet I found a non-12 step program.  Their method of recovery seemed to make so much sense to me.  A person that has an addiction needs more than the 21 or 30 days.  This type of rehab program provides structure, individual responsibility, awareness of ethical choices and so much more.
 
Eight years later he is well and happy.  He has been married to a wonderful person for three years.  We have our son back.  Thank you. 

 

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The search for a drug rehab program is the last thing anyone wants to find themselves looking for but, sometimes it is needed. Many questions come up like how much wil it cost and what is the lengh of stay and each facility is different so, it's important to have someone on your side who knows the answers which makes your search easier.

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Looking for a drug rehab center can be exhausting when you are dealing with someone who needs help with addiction. There are so many different types of programs to choose from that it often seems like an endless search for the right kind of help. That's why we are available to you so you don't have to do the search yourself and we can help you quickly find the help thats needed.

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When drug rehab is needed some of the questions that arise are ones such as what type of rehab is better inpatient or outpatient, should I go with 12 step or non traditional treatment? Theses are just a few of the questions that our certified drug and alcohol counselors can answer for you and your family when finding help is of the utmost importance and time is of the essence.

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