I am trying to keep my sanity...thank you for asking! It's nice to have my invisible friends around when I need them!
I have tried NAMI, but we don't have a local chapter. There is one in the nearest larger city, and they have a weekly class that we wanted to attend, but would have to leave the house for at least 5 hours to go. I haven't heard of DBSA, but will check it out!
I have been having a hard time with all of this. So has my 15 year old daughter, who cried today and said she wants things how they used to be. It's hard because we see no end in sight. My gut feeling is this is a lifelong problem....not just the addiction, which is also lifelong, but the mental problem or brain injury or both.
My son is very needy now, does not want to be alone for one minute, and is intent on "bonding" with all of us. It is way over the top, to the point of annoyance, and very unnatural to his true personality. He begs me not to leave and wants to know when I will be back, and continues to lay on the floor, petting the dogs for hours on end. I think it calms him, but is strange. I took him to Walmart for a few items (since I have his debt. card), and he said to make sure we stay together and don't get seperated. If I walked even a few feet ahead he would say, "Mom, wait for me".
I can actually see why he did drugs....for the relief they offered.
He is ordered to attend the intensive outpt. substance abuse program at the mental health clinic, which I drive him to. We told him that he cannot drive while he lives with us, at least for now. Plus, he cannot keep his lisense untill a doctor fills out a detailed form regarding mental/substance abuse issues, due to his accident around Christmas. But, at what point will he be able to move out and have his own life? He does not have one friend (except the methadone/drug crowd, who never really were his friends). He never leaves the house without me.
My entire family is suffering, and though I went to alanon(just listened, didn't talk) and have been reading the books and literature, I can't shake the terrible feeling that this will never end.
Before long he will probably be isolating himself again. I long for our old lives. We all do. He probably longs for his too, though he never talks about the military at all. What happens to people like my son?
Sorry for the long-update. I don't mean to complain, as everyone has their own problems. Thank you all again for everything.