Sugah,
Thank you for your insight. I'm really starting to see that the defects in my character that resulted in my attraction to using opiates were there long before i found opiates. I always admire your recovery, Sugah.
Rez,
The main thing that gives me hope about my son, that can maybe give you a little hope with your kid, is my daughter. She went through school failure, staying out all night and hiding, dressing in weird all-black clothing, all kinds of crap, before she turned 17. Then it seemed like a light bulb went on in her head, and she got it together, made up her school work bit by bit, and is now a successful sophomore at community college, with a 3.5 average!. I never thought that would happen....and neither did she at one point. But I never gave up on her either, I never stopped caring or loving her. And it has paid off in the best ways. We have the closest and most loving relationship of any mom and daughter I know. It's one thing in my life that I really did get right. And it didn't look that way just a couple years ago. So hang in there. Don't give up, don't change the rules. And don't ever stop letting your son know how much you love him. Believe me, he may not act like it, but he wants to know.
kj