[nandm]

As a parent I can definately relate to your post.

When I first was getting sober my two oldest children, at the time 14 & 15, started using pot and alcohol. My oldest had a psychotic episode while smoking pot which only got worse when she was prescribed anti-depressants. She started cutting on herself and also became suicidal. It was a very frightening time. Both of them dropped out of school and refused to go. They were bringing drug dealers in my home. Refused any type of treatment or help. It finally came down to my sending them to live with their grandmother and father since I was afraid that if things kept going the way they were I would not be able to stay sober.

Needless to say things got worse for them before they got better. They both experiemented with meth and prostitution. My oldest would not speak to me for a year. I was terrified for them. Finally after almost 2 years my oldest daughter moved back in with me. She is afraid to drink or use drugs because she can still clearly remember how miserable she was during that time and she knows the drugs only made it worse. She no longer cuts on herself and is a happy, productive 23 year old. My other daughter still drinks and I believe smokes pot daily but has gotten her GED and gone through vet tech school. She works as a vet tech and continues to live in the same city as her grandmother.

I don't really have any advice to give you but I just wanted to say that you are not alone. One thing I did learn through all of this was that "their problems may have been of my making but their solutions are of their own making." In other words I can not fix them, I can just be there for them. This was a hard lesson for me to learn and a harder one to apply. I wish you the best with what you are facing right now as I understand how horrible it is to be in that situation.