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Hi ((((Lil)))))
My daughter is a recovering heroin addict. She has also been diagnosed BiPolar.
She did one month shy of a year in rehab. It was in a women's center, and was monitored by a psychologist as well as a psychiatrist and a medical doctor. Eventually, she got through her withdrawal from heroin by being dosed with methadone.
Methadone had to be gradually, and I mean gradually decreased and eventually she was weaned off. Heroin was never her DOC, cocaine was. She even states now that she would have a difficult time refusing cocaine if she saw it or was offered it.
Anyway I digress...
I can feel for your son and the fears about getting well in an institution. My AD had the same fears. She didn't want to go to rehab, in fact the first time she went, it was called AR or Adult Rehab. It was co-ed and very loosely controlled. It appeared to me that it was not the place for the severity of her addiction/mental illness, and I was correct.
She left that rehab and went back to using. Without going into detail, she went back to another rehab program several months later with a different environment. Stricter, controlled, disciplined and LOCKED. Yes, it was very much like jail.
It was a Women's center. No men. Women only, and...their children. She got the help she desperately needed and also there was diagnosed BiPolar. Many meds were tried, including those you have mentioned.
She was detoxed for 5 days, then transferred to the women's center. She was still so bad that they had to send her back to detox for another 4 days.
Over the months she was there, it was evident she was getting better. She had to suffer the post acute withdrawal symptoms as well as getting her mania-depression under control. Once the addiction was addressed and controlled, then the mental illness issue was addressed and she was helped.
I thought there would never be an end.
Today...she has been out of rehab for one year. She:
Has her own apartment
Owns her car
pays her bills
is gainfully employed
is respected at her jobplace
is regaining her self esteem
will be getting custody of her daughter back very soon.
Not to say that there aren't rough spots here and there. She relapsed once and most recently toyed with alcohol. That seems to have cooled down for now and she is careful and watchful. Her sobriety and recovery has taken control over her desire for mind altering substances, thankfully. Due to her drug use, she has the mentality of about an 18 year old. She is thirty.
Her BiPolar disorder is stable. She has accepted her condition and moving forward. She is taking Lithium and Prozac, and this seems to be helpful for her. She was on Seroquel, but the need for that has diminished and discontinued for the time being. She knows she is in need of continuing her counseling and attends NA meetings occasionally.
Of course I cannot control her by demanding she attends her meetings, therapy sessions. She is an adult. I have to "let go" and "live and let live" for her own good, and mine.
I seem to have yammered long enough and I certainly hope this has helped you somewhat? Just to let you know, Lil, that you are not alone and neither is your son.
Keep the faith and know it will get better. I know. I have been there, and back and there again.
Lots of **hugs** and prayers for your son and you...
Vivian
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