The material presented
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to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Do interventions ever work? My son has been to a 30-day rehab (a year and a half ago) and his life is still out of control. He suffers from severe ADD, anxiety and depression. he's been on pills, alcohol and heroin intermittently for years. He has had a few "moments of clarity" but right now just three weeks out of jail, homeless and penniless he still hesitates to seek help!! I'm beginning to think that at age 28 he is not able to handle his own life! It it possible to help him?
I have provided him with phone numbers to call, time and locations for AA / NA meetings that he can walk to. He is taking very little action on his own behalf! Is it possible that he really CAN'T take care of himself? Do interventions ever work??
Carolm The TV show of the same name seems to indicate that they do work occasionally. Alcoholism is a chronic progressive disease that can be arrested but never cured. There are many free recovery programs in our sociaety Salvation Army, Rescue missions, etc are all there and will offer job training and tools.
I had an intevention with my son when he was 18-- It worked. He stopped, went back to school, developed a career, purchased a house,built a race car, had a serious reltionship and then decided he was not an alcoholic.
He began to drink again and no number of interventions or AA meetings helped. He was dead in 4 years. It is a powerful disease. Prayers for you and your son
I also have no experience with formal interventions. I can suggest that each of my sons have been in multiple treatment centers as well as in-patient mental health treatment and it didn't stick. It did not stick as they were not ready. They had not hit their bottom yet.
My youngest has been to treatment, alternative schools, jail, prison, homeless shelter(s), moved to 3 other cities and that's what I can remember. He's still active in his disease. To a 'normal' person, one would shake their head thinking what's it going to take?
I had to stop thinking that way and let it go. His journey is a painful one, but it's his chosen one for now. What is good - he does know where to go should he decide to surrender and seek recovery. I will support that effort, but I will not enable him any longer.
(((Hugs))) - I can 'hear' the wheels in your brain churning. It's a great question; I am just one that has tried anything and everything, and it took my arrival at Al-Anon to learn that my constant suggestions and actions might be slowing down his bottom.
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Thanks for the replies. Yes, my "wheels are always turning" still searching for the one thing that might help my lost child. Some days, I can accept not being able to change or influence his behavior and some days "the fixer" takes over!
Carol Until I truly accepted that I was powerless over this disease i could find no peace. My sponsor explained that acceptance did not mean I liked the idea or agreed with it ,i needed to simply stop fighting the true reality of the situation so I could focus my attention on constructive actions that could help everyone.
CarolM - I so understand what you are saying!!! It is that fixer in me that I've had to work on relentlessly. As Betty says above me, acceptance is the answer. My sponsor is also bright and tells me that upon awakening, I need to pray for the wisdom to realize what I can and can not affect and to accept my powerless while asking for His Will to prevail.
My days go so much better when I own my powerlessness each morning and as often as necessary during the waking hours. And, yes, some days are easier than others. I just keep turning my will and my life over to God (HP) asking for guidance and peace.
You can get through this and you will succeed! HP has your son and HP has you too in his hands. (((Hugs)))
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
