My son was in prison for five years for manufacturing meth. He was only involved in it less than a year but evidently did a lot during that time and became addicted. I know in the past he smoked pot and crank but not to the point of getting in this kind of trouble or being totally dysfunctional. He was not responsible by any means but did work.
He has been home now for six months and had a positive drug test. He will be on house arrest for 6 months and has to attend drug education classes again.
What I just do not understand is: How powerful is this? After all he has gone thru and he still cant leave it alone. Is there any hope here? He is almost 40 and has three kids. We all stood behind him and welcomed him home with open arms...Now I dont know what to do and I cant give up on him but I just didnt think he would backslide after 5 years and so soon?????
Any comments please.............................
Kat:
I'm sorry to hear that your son has had a relapse. Even though he has been incarcerated, I wouldn't be so sure that he has been drug free in there.
The Meth is a very difficult drug to get off of. It has such strong feel good properties that it is very hard to erase from your mind. No matter how long you are off of it, there are thoughts such as, I can do it one time and not get hooked. The euphoria and feeling that I can do anything when I am using is very enticing. This euphoria is only reached by this drug alone.
I am sorry that he failed his drug test, can you get him into N/A or A/A, that would give him tools for strength and conviction to not use again.
Prayers for you and your family!
I'm sorry to hear that your son has had a relapse. Even though he has been incarcerated, I wouldn't be so sure that he has been drug free in there.
The Meth is a very difficult drug to get off of. It has such strong feel good properties that it is very hard to erase from your mind. No matter how long you are off of it, there are thoughts such as, I can do it one time and not get hooked. The euphoria and feeling that I can do anything when I am using is very enticing. This euphoria is only reached by this drug alone.
I am sorry that he failed his drug test, can you get him into N/A or A/A, that would give him tools for strength and conviction to not use again.
Prayers for you and your family!
Dear Kat,....You ask " Is there any hope ?" Well to be completely honest with you, " hope" has to start with your son. Unfortunately, nothing will change for him until "he" is sincerely ready to make that change. Yes, you would think all that he has gone through, he would be ready. Meth. is a very powerful drug! It, as well as any drug, takes your soul, your heart, your mind from you and when you are ready to get it back, it is a very hard thing to do. He has to have that burning desire down deep in his soul and in his heart to get on that road to recovery. It isn't easy, by any means!!! Alot of people don't think that they have the faith in themselves to start that journey. They will make the excuse,.....I just can't do it......the withdrawls are to bad......etc. etc. It is extremely difficult to make that life change to be clean. But it is sooooOOoooo worth it! You have to keep telling your son that you love him and keep reminding him that he is needed and wanted and that he is worth so much more than he may realize. Drugs will only lead a person down a dead end street with no where to go but futher down! The gift of being clean is a wonderful thing! It does take everything that a person has to start there journey to recovery. You have to pretty much change "everything" in your present lifestyle. However, as of right now there is only so much that you can do for him until he is truly ready. Until he has "had enough!" Until he realizes......."life isn't suppose to be like this!" But don't give up on him either. Always let him know that you are there for him and when he gets ready for help, you will do whatever you can do to help him. Keep posting on here. Read as many postings as you can. And another thing that you can do is to learn as much as you can about Meth. and just exactly what you are up against. Maybe that will be of some help. I hope so. As Always,......EYES
KAT,
Hopefully this will be of some help. There is a great new treatment to eliminate cravings by our U.S. scientists. But first, addiction is truly a disease. The thoughts to use again that cannot be erased from the mind in 'recovery', are called "enviromental cue cravings", and are due to these reasons: (1) The dramatic increase in brain dopamine levels (2700 times above normal w/ meth), and ( 2)..Several months into recovery for literally 'years' (even 5 years), the cravings are due to an increase in brain nerve cell growth hormone. This hormone is increased in order to mature daily hatched new nerve cells in great quantities. Many nerve cells are destroyed by addictions, especially meth, so new nerve cells are needed by brain. These nerve cells are also called neurons or our 'thinking' cells. Even up to two years in recovery with meth, nerve cells are still being destroyed due to toxicity science has discovered, not sure if they know why this is. So, you see that the cause of cravings/urges/the thoughts to use are purely biochemical.
The new treatment is an old epilepsy drug used for many years around the world, not in U.S., and discovered/worked on by U.S. government scientists since 1986 for drug addiction. There has been two clinical human trials completed now, and scientists are very excited about results. This treatment lowers brain dopamine levels to normal, eliminating cravings and addiction. Treatment is for 9 weeks, cravings are eliminated in 2-3 weeks. FDA has just approved clincial trials for the U.S., so it can be approved for addiction treatment in U.S. Right now it's available at the clincial trial site outside the U.S. For information visit WWW.BNL.GOV. This treatment is GVG or Vigabatrin.
Hopefully this will be of some help. There is a great new treatment to eliminate cravings by our U.S. scientists. But first, addiction is truly a disease. The thoughts to use again that cannot be erased from the mind in 'recovery', are called "enviromental cue cravings", and are due to these reasons: (1) The dramatic increase in brain dopamine levels (2700 times above normal w/ meth), and ( 2)..Several months into recovery for literally 'years' (even 5 years), the cravings are due to an increase in brain nerve cell growth hormone. This hormone is increased in order to mature daily hatched new nerve cells in great quantities. Many nerve cells are destroyed by addictions, especially meth, so new nerve cells are needed by brain. These nerve cells are also called neurons or our 'thinking' cells. Even up to two years in recovery with meth, nerve cells are still being destroyed due to toxicity science has discovered, not sure if they know why this is. So, you see that the cause of cravings/urges/the thoughts to use are purely biochemical.
The new treatment is an old epilepsy drug used for many years around the world, not in U.S., and discovered/worked on by U.S. government scientists since 1986 for drug addiction. There has been two clinical human trials completed now, and scientists are very excited about results. This treatment lowers brain dopamine levels to normal, eliminating cravings and addiction. Treatment is for 9 weeks, cravings are eliminated in 2-3 weeks. FDA has just approved clincial trials for the U.S., so it can be approved for addiction treatment in U.S. Right now it's available at the clincial trial site outside the U.S. For information visit WWW.BNL.GOV. This treatment is GVG or Vigabatrin.
Hello,
I am also a mother of a son who is addicted to meth. He was released from a drug treatment center 3 weeks ago. Only a few days out of treatment he was already contacting old friends and visiting them.
He is 34. The saddest thing is that he has 3 beautiful children. He took his children to a known drug user's home. My poor poor beautiful babies. . .
His wife is filing for divorce and is trying to keep the kids from him. (which I completely understand.)
I have spent nearly 15,000.00 in the last 6 weeks on treatment and expenses on my son only to have him return to old habits. I am heart broken.
Is there hope. . . . . Only through Jesus Christ is there hope. I am convinced we are dealing with the depths of hell and only God himself can deliver us from this pain.
My prayers are with you. Meth is the enemy . . . .
I am also a mother of a son who is addicted to meth. He was released from a drug treatment center 3 weeks ago. Only a few days out of treatment he was already contacting old friends and visiting them.
He is 34. The saddest thing is that he has 3 beautiful children. He took his children to a known drug user's home. My poor poor beautiful babies. . .
His wife is filing for divorce and is trying to keep the kids from him. (which I completely understand.)
I have spent nearly 15,000.00 in the last 6 weeks on treatment and expenses on my son only to have him return to old habits. I am heart broken.
Is there hope. . . . . Only through Jesus Christ is there hope. I am convinced we are dealing with the depths of hell and only God himself can deliver us from this pain.
My prayers are with you. Meth is the enemy . . . .
moms, join us on the Partners/Families of Addicts board of this website. i feel you have much to offer posters there and you may well find some comfort, support and information there that will be useful to you.
LAURIE,
NO ONE IS INTERESTED GO SELL SOMEWHERE ELSE.
NO ONE IS INTERESTED GO SELL SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Yes there is hope, but the people we are hoping for have to want it. You can spend money on rehab, throw them in jail, take away everything from them, but until they are ready, all WE have is hope. But we love them and don't want to give up, misery loves company and we all are in misery because of our loved ones (or maybe because of ourselves) My husband is 6 months clean and only because in his words, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired". I'm 3 years clean because of a surprise pregnancy, I think God blessed me with a healthy baby only because I quit cold turkey as soon as I found out. Meth is a horrible monster that robs people of themselves. I'm rambling now - you and your family are in prayers, keep hoping.
It is most definately one of the worst addictions that there can be. I have always considered myself to be a person of strong will and conviction, but ~ try as I might ~ I have one hell of a time staying away from this "concoction of poisons" known as meth. I hate what it has done to my life, my looks, my health, my relationships, my outlook . . . . . you name it, Methamphetamines have destroyed it for me. Knowing that ~ feeling those feelings ~ wishing that I knew how to rid my life of this evil . . . . . AND I STILL CRAVE IT AND MUST FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM IT ON A DAILY BASIS. (and I'm not always successful) !?! I truly believe that meth has convinced my brain that there is no other way to feel "right" - other than the high that meth gives me. And I no longer enjoy the high - I've just been that way for sooooo many years . . . . I forget how to be any other way !?! I know that all of this sounds 'disheartening' but it is what it is. That being said . . . there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I started an out-patient program about three weeks ago - and although I have used meth since starting the program . . . . I have only used the drug three times in the last twenty one days . . . a HUGE improvement !! If you had talked to me before I started my out-patient treatment . . . . I would have used twenty one days out of twenty one days . . . ?!! Out of the last twenty one days . . . . I have had eighteen days of sobriety !! That's the first time that has happened for me in the last thirteen years !! I'm kinda proud of myself ?!! There is hope, there is recovery, . . . . . but the steps are small, the milestones are few and far between and the relapses are many. Give unconditional support to anyone trying to recover from this devastating addiction and instill them with hope and pray that, in the end, your loved one will come back to you stronger than they were !!?
I'm a male who has been in rehabilitation center for six months and I have been clean and sober for about one year and two months, but during Febuary, I recently went back to my old ways. the reason why I went back to my old ways was from stress, and anger, because society wouldn't accept me for who I'm, and I have been convicted with the substance.
in my heart and soul I want to be clean and sober, however it's very fraustrating when you are starting your life from the bottom and up, trying to find a job and employers are refusing your application because you have a conviction and society are labeling for, your crimes.
please give as much support to your sons, because giving them support and try to give them some distance, and please don't keep reminding of there past, of doing the uncontrolable urges of doing drugs, eventually they to will realized, what they are missing out in the world, however in my own situation I'm back into my recovery period, and I'm doing more researches and reading about stress and addictions.
never give up because life is very precious to waste, in my own word. I'am recently attending college and I'am already forty years old, and My wife divorced me and took off with my son. I really think being clean and sober is the best way in life, however I would always fight the craving of the pleasure the drugs has brought in my life( of feeling good and alive). it not the kind of living, which is normal.
I hope with sharing my short story of my life could help someone, in the addiction world.
Thank you
JCM
in my heart and soul I want to be clean and sober, however it's very fraustrating when you are starting your life from the bottom and up, trying to find a job and employers are refusing your application because you have a conviction and society are labeling for, your crimes.
please give as much support to your sons, because giving them support and try to give them some distance, and please don't keep reminding of there past, of doing the uncontrolable urges of doing drugs, eventually they to will realized, what they are missing out in the world, however in my own situation I'm back into my recovery period, and I'm doing more researches and reading about stress and addictions.
never give up because life is very precious to waste, in my own word. I'am recently attending college and I'am already forty years old, and My wife divorced me and took off with my son. I really think being clean and sober is the best way in life, however I would always fight the craving of the pleasure the drugs has brought in my life( of feeling good and alive). it not the kind of living, which is normal.
I hope with sharing my short story of my life could help someone, in the addiction world.
Thank you
JCM
