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Old 09-01-2019, 07:49 AM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Anaya
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 2,684
Hanna: I'd joined this site (and have been grateful every day since!) when my son was a teen, still living at home, abusing substances, in trouble with the law, and failing high school. The support and practical advice, experience, strength and hope shared by others here has been immensely helpful and I am hoping you feel that way as well.

Quoting a paragraph you had written in this thread, "I believe his set his path and praying that the months of drug counseling gave him the tools he needs to be ok. I'm so sad, I know this story so well from my own family and it just feels like a repeat only this time I see it coming and can't do a damn thing." But you are doing something. You are reaching out and starting toward healing and I'm guessing looking to put the ball back in his, your stepson's, court.

When we (son, his dad and I) were quickly approaching the "finish line" in 2009, (when we felt we had done everything we could with offering counseling, with working with the school and son, with being supportive of son and "pushing" him into programs to try and help him, with me being patient --his dad, not so much --and with me offering son unconditional love -- his dad, not so much -- while at the same time, knowingly and unknowingly enabling him)-- when he was 17 (and were reminded by counselors and the law as well that the finish line was coming), and that once he turned 18 in September, it would ALL change/we knew we had to face it.

It can be very hard to detach and let them "face their consequences," but it is better to do so sooner than later. I know, hindsight is 2020; it was a very tough time. Anyway and fortunately, I had support when I finally decided it was time for me to step back and to let him find his way, to let him face consequences.

Hugs and best wishes. My heart goes out to you and your family, and am sending prayers that your stepson will make good choices and that he will choose to get on the path to recovery.
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