Hi white heather
One thing I can say with conviction is that addiction doesn’t discriminate. By this I mean during my years of going to AA and CA meetings I have mixed with people of all races, religion, sexual orientation. People from living healthy homes, to those less fortunate. There doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason, though my observations show me there are common themes in addicts that seem to be there in everyone regardless.
It’s easy to blame yourself but that wont help you, or him right now so try to catch that as it will eat you up.
If it’s any consolation I fully recovered from a serious alcohol problem now 12 years sober, and also drugs a similar amount of time. Recently I feel foul of painkillers and prescription anxiety meds and have also managed to stay clean from them, though that experience was different. I have managed to go through horrendous withdrawals and come out the other side.
Despite my issues I have a good job, a beautiful family, am responsible, can accept my past and try to be a good person as much as I can.
You CAN recover- millions of people have, it’s not easy though and the job starts within- accepting you have a problem and accepting help.
I know what your son means by thinking the place was crap, I had the same attitude. I can tell you now when i was going through opiate and benzo withdrawal I took all the help I could get and was humbled by the help people on here gave me. I now have a very different outlook – your son doesn’t have to go that far though and need never use again if he is open to some help.
I hope you are ok, if there is anything I can answer I’ll do my best, I have seen both sides of the fence