Coping with Addiction & Recovery During the Holidays
Our daughter’s addiction, and newly found recovery, added to the family tension during the holidays. Here’s how we learned to cope.
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Angel
My deepest sympathy for your great loss. My heart goes out to you. My son is 18 and has been using since he was 14 he uses needle and also uses meth on occasion. I’m always taping on door to ask if he’s ok when it gets too quiet. Ive tried to kick him out but he ended up locking me out of the house! He’s stolen my cars my phone’s my credit cards my $ right in front of me and then take s off! So I have to keep my keys phone etc in my bra when I shower I have to hide real good! I’ve been woken up at all hours to find strangers in my house or in my shower. He has no respect for me at all. I have a past that also consisted parting. Unfortunately this heroin is a different kind of monster. My son has alot if mood swings he can be hugging me telling me he loves me and everything gonna be ok and he’s tryn and is going to stopand that hes weaning off next minute hes accusing me of going in his room asking what I took yelling slamming throwing things! He got so bad that he started pulling knives on people who made him madd! He has punched my new car made dint on hood broke front door off hinges holes in bedroom door walls broke glass on cocktail table broken bedroom window. I’m not sure if he is out of dope or coming down or at what stage this mean behavior when it comes out of him I have to run call police but they said I have to get restraining order first before they can arrest him! He just doesn’t care what he says or does until the storm calms and the waves have came crashing down and finished at the shoreline that I can return to my daily routine walkingvonbegg shells! I pray go to church but can’t have relationships it’s too embarrasing arguing about the smallest things such as having respect for home health and safety! Anyways thanks for allowing me to share. I’m single mom with knowone to talk to about what I need to do for him! I have hard time keeping jobs my stress level has caused anger resentment insecurities depression anxiety! But I keep faith in God and enjoy it when he’s not in bad mood or going in out of house and searching through drawers and closets for I never know what!! Whatever it is if he finds it he will loose it brake it or pawn it!! I’m so tired of this negative energy I have on my shoulders but im dealing with more than I ever imagined. Of coarse he blames me for way things are! Well I guess that’s all for now I need to get mind out of this dark place!! Take care! Nothing stays the same forever,. This too shall pass! God bless have a blessed day! No worries God has the control the power the plan! We just along for ride
Debbie
Julie,
So very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you.
Julie c
Seek treatment asap and talk to an addiction counselor. Do not waste a minute and do not let them tell you you are over reacting. Our son was set to start rehab the next day and just wanted one more night to say goodbye to his friends- at 18, we couldn’t force the issue, and he never came home. He overdosed that night. Please please realize your child is not choosing this- the drugs are in control and they could have chemically altered your child at this point-and the more you try to ask them to do better, the worse they feel about themselves and their addiction because they can’t do better on their own. we will forever wish we had figured out a way to get him there that night instead of the planned next am- but there is no going back. I hope so much that others realize the enormity of this better than we did.
Pat
Hi Julie,
Thank you for taking the time to post and share your insights with families. Your are so right that it is important to understand the enormity of the situation.
I’m so sorry that you lost your son. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Pat