Barbdee,
My daughter was addicted to drugs....I say was because she is sober today. She is bi polar and she takes bi polar meds. Actually she was diagnosed when she was a young teenager. We chose not to medicate her at the time because we weren't sure how much of her mood swings were her being a teen or if it was really bi polar. That was a hard call to make. The doctors told us that by her using drugs she was self medicating. She is on the right track now and she takes her bi polar meds everyday and she feels a lot better.
Sending positive thoughts to your son.
Hugs........Lo