Hello everyone – I am new to this forum and came on here this morning looking for support due to my son, and came across this thread. Sadly many of these stories are very familiar to me, but everyone’s strength and the support being offered is truly admirable.
My son is 21, 22 this May, and has mental health issues, ADHD and a chronic cannabis addiction (as well as occasional use of other drugs I suspect) He has had a number of mental breakdowns over the past 3 years since starting, and subsequently dropping out of, university. We have been fortunate to have been able to privately seek help for him with psychiatrists, therapy and also hospitalisation last year after he OD’d on anti-anxiety meds, and yet I’m writing this as he is again spiralling since December.
Very similar story to many I have read on here, and no matter what boundaries we set at home he continues to push us to the limit.
We are grateful he has a wonderful girlfriend who supports him and good friends, but he has a very strong self-destruct mentality.
I am waiting for him to wake up today so I can have yet another conversation about smoking cannabis at home last night (smell woke me at 1.50am) after repeatedly telling him not to do this.
Sadly I know this will not stop him, he needs to want to and he really doesn’t right now. But it affects his mental health, his ADHD, his ability to function, his relationships and also our mental health.
We also have a 14 year old daughter and trying to protect her from everything over the last 3 years has been so difficult and exhausting.
I am fortunate to have close family but ultimately he is not their responsibility and I don’t want to continue to burden them with our problems and worries, hence looking for support here.
Wishing you all peace and calm xx