hLast Chance
I have spent a lot of time here, reading, posting and asking for advice. Thank you to all of you who have posted and shared with me.
AH has been straight for two days, and we sort of sat next to eachother last night and talked at opposite walls. Both of us were sniffing and wiping our eyes.
Yesterday he mentioned he thought he needed to up his meds. He takes SSRI's for anxiety/anger issues. He has already had them doubled once. I did some research - that's what I do. I found articles about Doc's prescribing SSRI's based on certain symptoms, which are also symptoms of long-term chronic use of MJ. So, in all likelyhood he is taking the SSRI's to deal with the MJ use. It also seems that MJ makes the side effects of SSRI's worse, and SSRI's reduce the effectiveness of MJ. Wow, what a horrible cycle!
We had a conversation -- a real conversation -- about this exact issue. He has seen how easily he is losing his temper, and he is scared and wants to fix it. I asked him not to call the GP, but to call the addictions treatment screeneing and referral number. I said I thought they could refer him to a mental health professional who could help him get off the MJ, adjust the meds, or maybe get off the meds completely. I know it really bugs him that he has to take them.
He took the number, saved it in his phone, and asked me for the article on the SSRI/MJ interaction I found. He said he has nothing scheduled at work today, and will be sitting around twiddling his thumbs. He said if I didn't care, I wouldn't argue with him all the time, wouldn't take the time to look these things upetc. I told him if I didn't care, and didn't believe in him, I would be gone already.
Indeed, last night I was done. I lay in bed next to him and thought "this is it" and started to think that moving wouldn't be as bad as being where I am now.
It was my intention to come to work today and use the internet to find a lawyer to start to find out where I stand, and what I need to do to get out. I did not say any of this. Apparently he was laying there thinking about what his life has come to.
How can I support him, without trying to take over? What should I be doing to protect me and the kids if he doesn't follow through? What can i do to support the kids and I through this?
I want to be ready with answers, if he does go and get referred to a inpatient treatment program. I want to say "I've got this, you take care of you, get better and then we'll start again". I want to know what to do if he gets any sort of treatment at all.