I've a son who needs help there. His problem is overuse of prescription mind altering drugs which unscrupulous psychiatrists hand out like candy. So, if you know of a place and people that will get him safely off of all the prescriptions, please so inform me. I suspect that there is an underlying condition which creates a tendency to feel a need for these drugs, but is masked by he effects of the prescribed drugs.
That is what's supposed to happen. Why do you say the drugs are "overused"? You can't get high on anti-psychotics.
not antipsychotics anti anxiety, anti depressants, adderall, ambien, benzos, and others and booze He is delusional, and very angry, sleeps erratically, sends hateful emails and calls in the middle of the night, rather than practice his profession as a lawyer. There are too many psychiatrists who will write a prescription for mind altering drugs with but a cursory look at the patient. And he seems to have a predilection for finding these blokes, and collecting a Kafkaesque assortment of drugs which counteract the effects of one or more of the other drugs. A few years ago, I hauled his ass home after he was hallucinating and hiding out in his cluttered and unclean apartment, got him into a detox facility, and then he was fine for several months. (at that time he had 7 0r 8 different prescriptions for varies psychoactive drugs. I think the damned fool thinks that he can control his moods by taking certain drugs. But, alas, it seems that he has no control, and just flounders about, trying this and/or that and spiraling down into anger, fear, and delusions. The "gateway drug" was from a well intentioned doctor over 10 years ago for panic attacks. So, I'm thinking that I may want to investigate detox facilities near to where he is currently living. (just in case it becomes appropriate to pursue that course of action)
My heart goes out to you and him. Detox is just as artificial as the original prescription in my opinion, but you might get lucky. Can he get the hell out of the city? That alone might be the best thing.
Ebbs and flows, sometimes he gets tired of the drugs and booze circus, wants the "rehab" and becomes normal again(for awhile). The "life is shit" episodes are harder on his mom. For almost everything, I tend to prepare as best I can, then lean back and let whatever is gong to happen happen. If one understands one's limitations, then the rest gets easier(for me anyway). I suspect that his underlying problem is a lack of self confidence. How can one person give that gift to another? I also suspect that that strength can only be found in the doing. ..................... out of the city yes, my thought too lots of empty homes in small town midwest to be had very cheaply and, in such a place, he'd most likely be the only attorney in town If his neighbors need his knowledge and training, then maybe that will help his confidence?
Maybe he needs to build something new with his hands, not his schooling? A sabbatical from the law perhaps? Maybe even build his own house instead of simply moving from one to the other? That is a special thing. I wish y'all the very best.
Thanks I built this place, ........that too has a cost, but is very satisfying, and has a lasting plus factor
I know a hippy farm in Costa Rica where you can go and chill out, work the land, do some yoga. Maybe he needs to get away from it all.
Costa Rica has scary bugs. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! But it might work if there aren't any scary politicians! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
His twin brother did a semester abroad in Costa Rica. We went to visit at the end of the term, during which we wen to see a waterfall. We rode horses until we really wanted to get off and walk awhile, then hiked miles to the waterfall until we longed for the horses again, paused a few minutes to appreciate the waterfall, then walked(scampered actually along a skinny trail that had more up and down than forward) back to the horses, and rode them into a dark dark night. While in the woods, my horse walked right into a tree, and stopped. I had to get off, and lead him, following the sounds of the others. Finally, exiting the wood, we could almost see, remounted, caught up with the others, and back to dinner. Chill out on a hippy farm sounds good to me, maybe a hard sell for my son>\?
it's tearful to me that your son actually has educational status of law degree and isn't at a nonpressed livingsway capacity. or perhaps he has met a friend by now whom isn't the hurt like structurist classical music format presents as demand; gosh it really is evident that what sets itself in the identificate representation of classical music Actually the interpersonal behavioral capacity had been exemplified by Looney Tunes..(especially when such beings don't get what they want) it really was the more than appropriate backdrop for Looney Tunes.... and viewing the presentation of Looney Tunes one understands a quantum behavioral spectrum of human interpersonal and personal behavioral issues, considering... stuckist pride. ! classical instrumental music has it's place.. Yet also really doesn't, where and as it doesn't. there is a condition (ing) in mental/behavioral health referred to as a version of mood disorder which was chosen to be difined as bi-polar, well they liked to create a condition referred to as rapid cycling bi-polar... the hurt of it all really, looking with perspective is plain exact of the classical instrumental representation.... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! help Get it on at a minarette ?! and then enjoy living in variable denoument, expectation, AND what has literally become Standard grueling and gruellishness, when looking at what our norms are actually still presenting..........it's terrible. I really don't like this Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I really didn't need it at my way variable accostive conceit. it is fact that a Laureate of any decree, really doesn't have rights to think as if it were no longer a student/scholar. maybe because some seethe in their achievements or are demanded to and 'not perceive basic value as greater our representations are predominantely, exaggerated, assumptive, threatening, passive,competitive, demanding and stealing, & poshedly & accostively claimtive of insult.
I am really sorry your family is going through this. Without asking why he is being prescribed these medications or why his doctors feel these medications are necessary, have the rehab facilities he has attended in the past suggested a doctor that is aware of his.. ermm.. desire to take these medications with alcohol? And when he goes into rehab, is it for the medications? Or the alcohol? If it is for his medication, then it would be on his record that he has a problem with those particular drugs. If it is not on his medical record, perhaps have it put on there so that he is not prescribed these medications. That being said, I know people who have taken these drugs and consumed alcohol and have not had these sort of reactions. This is obviously very personal, but there are a range of factors that could result in the high and low feelings your son may feel.. If he has not been checked or tested properly, perhaps you could see about having him checked out properly and perhaps see what could be done so that doctors know he is not to be prescribed those drugs. If the real problem is the alcohol, perhaps try to see about his joining AA. Also, being a lawyer can be a very stressful thing. He might very well be feeling overwhelmed and over-burdened. He might not be happy with his profession, or the kind of work he is having to do. If he is only a few years in the profession, he could be at the point where he is doing the time consuming grunge work for more senior lawyers at the firm he works at. Which in itself is soul destroying and many do turn to drugs. There is a joke within the profession here in my country about just how cocaine is the drug of choice amongst many in my profession. Others do resort to taking prescribed drugs. It can be a shitty profession depending on which area of law you are in. Have you asked him if he is happy and if he wants to perhaps dabble at something else? Perhaps even a different area of law? What are his hobbies? Who are his friends who are nearby? Does he spend a lot of time alone when not at work? Something like AA could be beneficial in that it gives him people he can turn to immediately around him. Perhaps instead of seeing a psychiatrist, he should see a counselor, who cannot prescribe medication? If he does not suffer from any psychiatric or psychological illnesses and thus, does not need these medications to treat an underlying illness, counseling might be a better option. I don't think there are any quick or immediate cures for this. I do think you should have him checked out and properly diagnosed either way, to see if he needs such medications or not. And perhaps look to getting him into AA in the meantime. But definitely get him to see a good doctor.
Thanks for the thoughts: clarification while on semester abroad he had a panic attack, and his well meaning doctor prescribed a pill to counter anxiety. in law school, his then girlfriend introduced him to adderall somewhere along the line, he began to believe that he could control his moods with prescription drugs and began to self diagnose he is well into the top 2 % intellectually, and has learned the phrases needed to get his drug du jour. unfortunately, the people with the prescription pads don't seem to be competent, and will write a prescription for a psychotropic drug at the drop of a hat. It's all on him. My son has the intelligence to game the people and the system as he pleases, unfortunately he is doing this in a direction which(I suspect) does not bode well for his future. Aside from the worry that I may not predecease both of my 2 children, I worry that the use of these "prescribed" psychotropic drugs may damage his mind and memory. Doctors are a problem. My first wife was brilliant (probably in the top 1%) and she too could easily run rings around 99% of the shrinks out there---she died young at age 50 Whenever I tried to use doctors to help get her to eschew drugs, she ran rings around them. Finally, I quit accommodating her transgressions which led to the dissolution of our union. one thing for an ex wife(I never stopped loving her... just couldn't find comfort in the projected course) a whole different thing for a child. day by day during the down times, I almost turn to prayer.
I had a panic attack once when I was ill. My doctor suggested I used a paper bag and breathing exercises..... Your son is in a nasty and addictive cycle. And it will be difficult to break him out of that cycle. Have you tried to discuss this with your own doctor? To see if he or she had any suggestions for your son that would help break him out of that cycle. Have you considered a drug rehab intervention, with the people he trusts, to try to get him to see the cycle he is in? And then have him go into rehab? I would have hoped that doctors would recognise those catch key phrases and when they are being used, especially when such drugs and medications are being prescribed. If you are concerned about what this has done to his mind and his brain as a whole, take him to see a doctor and go in with him. Or see if you can get him in to see a neurologist for testing? And have you or someone else in there with him who can explain to the doctor what medications he has been prescribed and for what and what it is now doing to him... There is no magic cure for this. It will be a long road to recovery and yes, take it day by day. Have you considered trying to get him to move closer to you, so that you might be able to have a bit more control and be there as someone he knows he can rely on? Distance can make these horrible illnesses appear and be even worse. Perhaps he might need someone to take charge and reset and stop the cycle he is currently in? You know your son better than anyone else. Personally, I would seek professional advice instead of listening to crazy people like me on the internet. And then plan how you are going to move on in regards to his treatment and follow effects..
Part of what will need to happen, and is always easier said than done... is that he will need to make a choice and realize that what he is doing is untenable... while medications can help with things such as depression, they often cannot cure the underlying cause of said depression (excluding the instances where it is, in fact, a legitimate chemical imbalance in the brain). The simple fact is... sometimes, you WILL feel down. That's okay, and there are things you can do to combat that without resorting to meds. The same can be said with ADD/ADHD - I took myself off my meds a number of years ago simply because I made the decision that I couldn't let medication control me my entire life (that and, well, I was pretty much a poster-child for why Adderall is known as "madderall"... I'd quite literally Hulk out on people at the drop of a pen). I catch myself having to stop and reassess at times... and it is a conscious effort... but it can be done. Again, there are times where medication is, most likely, required... but you are right - we are quick to medicate instead of finding the root problem. I wish you the best of luck - as Bells said, this is a long road to recovery... but, unfortunately, it is one he has to be willing to go down; it cannot be forced upon him.
"madderall" fersure my doc had no advice beyond what we already knew----I mostly read for information, but I did go to the vfw hall to chat with people there, some had gone through it and everyone knew someone who had---they offered different perspectives. My wife has met with councilors, shrinks, etc. and gone to meetings like al anon, and for families of the mentally ill. We gather what knowledge we can and try to remain objective. If it came to it(comes to it?), this would have been(be?) the 3rd or 4th(depending on perspective) that I've rescued his young ass. After the California Kafkaesque meds extravaganza, I brought him home, and worked with his shrinks. Then came the booze while he was staying here, whereupon, I buffered him and let him get tired of being drunk, then AA. Then came the benzos, and I had to bring him home again, and again we worked with his shrinks. This time, we got the kansas City shrinks to quit prescribing adderall------now, it's the booze again. The good news, he mentioned rehab in a missive of this past weekend. We got the hotel desk clerk to check in on him today. He ain't ready yet, but will be soon, so we're investigating various places and treatment regimens and will have what information we can obtain readily available when he makes the decision. meanwhile: Every day above ground is a holiday. Yesterday is but a memory, and tomorrow but a dream, today is a gift---that is why it is called the present. ........... thanx for the input.
