Question by Dee L: I have a drinking problem and just found out my son is smoking pot?
My question isn’t why would he do this..I was happy and amazed that he wasn’t for so long. This morning I found a ball of half burnt pot residue in his bathroom. My 1st reaction was to drive to his school, take him home and confront him..but then I realized I was not mad at him, just afraid. Who am I to talk, I drink a 6 pack almost every day to escape. I need to get help myself. Yes, I know I need to go to a program and maybe he does too, but my question is, what do I say when he gets home? I feel like I should be honest first about my own problem and that I do it to escape, but that I know it is only making things worse..then tell him I know what he’s been doing and it is understandable that he wants a means of escape, but that he has to stop..but where do I go from there? He usually stays in town on weekends with his friends as we live way out in the country and I don’t have the time or gas to drive him back and forth for just a few hours..so it seems I must ground him from hanging out with his pot smoking friends, but for how long and for what good? It will make him even more depressed and angry if I isolate him, but since he has no money, they are obviously his suppliers. Please give me some step by step direction, starting with what to say when he gets off the bus, to what to do about him going out this weekend to what to do in the future..thank you

Best answer:

Answer by j153e
Glad you’re taking steps to heal what could be a sad situation.

1-800-525-LOVE http://www.klove.com 24/7 is a helpful beginning counseling line. You can call them as much as you like.

1-800-232-6459 http://www.focusonthefamily.com M-F business hours ask for Counseling dept. will provide you with trusted (i.e., not inclined to overmedicate) counselors in your local area.

One personal opinion: you are a matured adult, and grew up in a less negative culture. Your son is experiencing a male version of substance abuse, so it may not be hormonally quite the same as your situation. Marijuana does alter (spaces out) neurosynapses, alcohol is a more temporary “fix.” The people at focusonthefamily are well versed in counseling, and you will have a single phone counseling session with them on this and related issues; then they will provide resources for you to follow up with, including counselors’ phone numbers. It might be to your advantage to have a brief list of specific questions (about alcohol programs, marijuana programs, the strong willed child, help with finances) and a pencil and paper when you make the call.

Another resource: “A Spiritual Approach to Parenting: Secrets of Raising the 21st Century Child,” Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D.

What do you think? Answer below!

Alcohol Abuse Linked With Poor Adherence in HIV/AIDS Patients
Pharmacy Times reported on a study that linked alcohol abuse with nonadherence to HIV/AIDS therapy. The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey with 468 drug users and 648 nondrug users from seven clinics in Vietnam to investigate the …
Read more on TheBody.com

Alcohol & Drug Rehab Kenosha Launches Center to Battle Substance Abuse …
Eugene, OR (PRWEB) February 06, 2014. A Kenosha alcohol and drug rehab center is announcing that it is opening its doors to help adults and adolescents fight back against their alcohol and drug addiction through Drug Addiction Treatment Centers.
Read more on Virtual-Strategy Magazine (press release)

Former Clallam firefighter/paramedic steeped in treatment, counseling in wake …
This treatment and counseling counts toward the Drug Court program requirements, though Rynearson said he was going to the personal growth center before he started Drug Court. Rynearson said his experiences in Drug Court have been positive, adding …
Read more on Peninsula Daily

Drug treatment funding in Maine is falling, but demand is greater than ever
In 2010, Maine spent a total of $ 47 million on substance abuse treatment ranging from sober-living situations such as halfway houses, to outpatient counseling, to hospitals or short-term stays in rehabilitation clinics. Last year the amount dropped by …
Read more on Morning Sentinel

State Officials Rethinking Approach To Substance Abuse Treatment
BOSTON — Leaders across the branches of state government are in broad agreement that the state needs to increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment, with many saying there is a deficit of services and a lack of insurance coverage to …
Read more on WBUR

The Watershed Opens New Facility in Texas
The Watershed, a leading drug and alcohol treatment center, headquartered in South Florida, officially opened its doors on January 15th to a premier 28-bed facility in Clear Lake serving the Southeast Texas community. The Watershed Addiction Treatment …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Substance Abuse And Mental Disorders Often Go Hand-In-Hand. What's The …
Treatment for dual diagnosis is never straightforward. And while treatment facilities over the past several decades have glommed onto the idea of “integrated” modalities that focus on treating both disorders simultaneously, the system has a long way to …
Read more on Huffington Post

The Seduction of Addiction: A Runner's Confession
Two weeks ago I woke up feeling a little under the weather, but this condition didn't keep me from leaving the house at 4:45 a.m. in rainy, 38-degree weather to cover 11 miles with hill intervals worked in for good measure. It was really never a choice …
Read more on Pacific Standard

New helpline in Port Salerno provides addicts with recovery information
Drug and alcohol rehab facilities provide a variety of treatment options including drug detox, dual diagnosis, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mandatory education programs. © 2014 TCPalm. All rights reserved. This material may not be published …
Read more on TCPalm

Computer-based behavioral therapy effective tool for addiction treatment
By Bill Hathaway; Yale researchers have developed a computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program to treat substance abuse and dependence, and report that it results in better outcomes both in the near term and over time. The program is …
Read more on India Education Diary

Challenging Alcoholic's Anonymous As The Leading Form Of Addiction Treatment
None of these options, however, have taken over AA's spot as the most prominent pathway to ending addiction. The difficulty in establishing an effective treatment program is that many of the programs require mental and behavioral therapy rather than …
Read more on Opposing Views