The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Hopefully I am finally seeing some success. My 13 year old son has been going through quite a difficult period in his life. He has caused some very dire consequences for himself and yet I am fortunate to have the insight of realizing how this disease does affect the family through it's many different faces.
To step back a moment, during the past year my son ended up with some juvenile charges. Of course this has now been drawn out since last April. He will have his sentencing in November after the courts send out an evaluator to the house. During his crime spree he was drinking and smoking pot. It was very easy to see how the disease manipulates and keeps the user caught in the throes of stinkin' thinkin'. Looking back on family history as his dad is an a and most of his family as well I fully realized that this disease could attack any one of our children. I can sure say that when it attacks it doesn't take long to take a non-behavior issue kid and twist their thinking quickly. I also think that hormones have played a factor in this as well as some mental health issues that tend to run in the families as well.
Today he had his second appointment with his psychiatrist. He was diagnosed with depression and is also AD (but not HD). He began zoloft last month with some improvement that was apparent today as he at least made effort to talk to his psychiatrist which he would not do at all a month ago. It had also been nice to see that he is beginning to like himself a bit more again lately. We still have a ways to go and he had some adjustments with meds today, but I'm grateful that I can get beyond my fear and rage, anger, fustration, etc and take whatever action I have the ability to take. I've also gotten some encouragement from some of his teachers and school administration that he is making some headway there as well. One day at a time!!!!!! Course I negotiated with him about taking his meds.... he had earrings that I took away from him when all this initially happened and gave him back one last month as long as he wasn't resistant and took his meds, today I am giving him back another one as he will now take two different meds. I figure that's ok.... because with him taking his meds, I have a better chance of winning the war so he can have his battle.
Now to get back to the business of packing as we are moving this weekend.... ugh.
I can so relate. When my younger (now 30 yrs. old) son was that age he was going through the same issures. Drinking, smoking pot. behavior problems daily in school and also diagnosed with ADHD. He also hated taking medication for it. I did find a very good child psychologist at the time. One of the things he suggested was to have him allergy tested. We did that because we kept a check on when his behaviors were at their worst. He seem to get into trouble in school after he ate lunch. He got very tired with red cheeks and red ears in the spring and fall. He had some outbursts after he ate certain foods like chocolate. This was an extremely expensive process but thankfully our insurance took care of a good bit of it. His treatment was immunetherapy treatment. It made such a big difference in his life. Instead of taking anti-depressants he took drops under his tongue of a concentration of all the things he was found to be allergic to.
I really think alot of psychological and emotional problems that children and adult have come from the environment and the things we eat. I truly believe that my addiction of food is kept active by eating sugar and white flour things.
Remember the saying: You are what you eat.....I believe it!!!
Normal teenagers (is there such things as a normal teenagers ) anyway - I'll rephase that teenagers that have not been affected by this disease and other disease such as mental health issues, divorce, abuse, etc. are difficult - even more so those that are dealing with those issues.
My heart goes out to you - such courage and determination to win the war - I'm praying that your son will continue to improve & grow in a healthy way.
In raging that battle, don't forget to take care of you, too.
Rita
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No matter what me and my God are going to be ok, even better than OK -
) anyway - I'll rephase that teenagers that have not been affected by this disease and other disease such as mental health issues, divorce, abuse, etc. are difficult - even more so those that are dealing with those issues. 
