I am devastated and concerned. Destin has admitted he is smoking weed again. I am sure that is the reason for his depression. Best case scenario he has switched to a depressed state of his bipolar and the marijuana is making it worse. What can I do? I want to lock him up and never let him out, but I know I can't do that. I am so torn up inside. I know what it feels like to be mentally ill and to not understand mood changes and to want to take something or use something that fixes it. He says smoking weed makes him feel "normal" when nothing else does. He says he is afraid of a med change. I don't know what more I can do for him. He sees a psychiatrist for his meds. He sees a therapist weekly. He has been seeing a substance abuse counselor and passed his last UA. I just had a feeling that he might have smoked so I asked him if he was going to pass his next UA and he told me no.
Since we had all the openness going on, I figured I would ask Aliviya if she had used at all and she said YES! OMG! So I have 2 kids that are using marijuana. I asked them which kids have it and they are doing it with and they said pretty much everyone they hang out with. Do I start calling parents? Do I ground them from all of these kids. I know if they are determined to do it, they will find a way. I have to reach them on a different level where they want to make better decisions. I am at a loss. I can only have a say until they are 18 and it is especially hard in our area because it is legal for medicinal use so kids have easy access because a lot of parents are licensed users and there are as many dispensaries as there are liquor stores.
I sat them both down and laid out my thoughts on it all, which went something like this: I am not ok with it. I will never condone or allow it. I do not want to ever see you high or doing it.You are not to have any type of drug or paraphernalia in the house. If I do find it on you or in your rooms I WILL report it to the community police officer. I will not take any responsibility for any trouble you get into related to its use. You are putting yourselves and your 3 year old sister at risk of social services taking action against our family if there are drugs found in this house, so I will completely comply with any social worker or police officer that wants to take action against YOU for YOUR poor choice. I will not pay court fines. If you steal anything (to pay for drugs?) I will report you. If it escalates to probation or juvenile hall, I will have no sympathy and I will not pay for any costs and I will not put any money on your books or pay to get you out.
To all you parents out there that didn't see the signs when your kids were younger, what would you have done if you DID see signs? What else can I do?
Wow, I think what you told them is so right on the money! I wish so much that I had known to say something like that 10 years ago when our journey first began...and then had the courage to actually carry it out!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you are going through this. I hope they will take the consequences you mentioned seriously.I know marijuana seems small time to some people but, I feel that it helped introduce me to the harder things when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Annette. I wish I had taken the early drug use seriously.
ReplyDeleteI read this: the best intervention is the EARLY and OFTEN intervention. Meaning get them when they are young, and do everything you can before they grow into life long drug use.
Thanks everyone! I am not letting my kids go down without a fight, but I realize I have to hold them accountable. Just like I don't do 6th or 8th grade homeowrk because I am not in 6th or 8th grade, I will not bear the burden or expense of any drug related consequences because I am not the one smoking weed.
ReplyDelete