plevans

A little background. My DH and I are raising our 10 yo GD. Her momma, our daughter, was a drug addict and died of an overdose when GD was 2. GD has had many issues (behavioral, learning, emotional) that have kept us on a path of seeking a diagnosis for 7 years. We recently learned about FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) and while none of the numerous Dxs she's received have ever explained her symptoms, this one does perfectly. However, we always believed our DD did not drink. Never saw her drunk, she told us she hated alcohol, none of her friends can confirm that she drank. But everything I read says that 90% of drug addicts drink alcohol when drugs aren't available. Also to come down from a high. Does anyone have any experience with this or can confirm that, if she was a drug addict, she was likely also drinking alcohol? Should I also post my question in the addict forum?

AnvilheadII

both drugs and alcohol can have detrimental/devastating effects upon the unborn. obviously you cannot ask your DD now, but perhaps armed with the information on FAS, you can find a physician or clinic that specializes in children affected by drug/alcohol use in-utero?

ps - i should add, addicts can be very "funny" about other types of drug use.....almost like there is a caste system. crackheads look down on meth heads who look down on winos who look down on junkies. so it's possible your DD claimed to HATE alcohol, as if that somehow justified the other stuff she did take. but when it gets down to brass tacks, and addict will take pretty much anything if they are jonesing bad enough.

Forward12

Most addicts have one drug of choice that they abuse, though some may have more than one.
Likely the best like mentioned is perhaps find a good doc that specializes in the field. It's possible there may be some damage done by the drug use.

Seren

My stepson is, I suppose, primarily an alcoholic. He has also smoked crack, taken pills he has purchased from strangers on the street, and we have been told recently, has begun to abuse heroin. During the fun-filled crack days, he would definitely drink a tall boy to take the edge off if he couldn't buy crack.

So, basically, he is a poly-substance abuser.

Whitewingeddove

My AS never cared much for alcohol. Occasionally he might have a Mike's or something similar, but even then nursed it for about an hour.

My RAH has been clean from his DOC (crack) for over 10 years now. He drank before but never mixed the two when he was using. He still drinks now, but does not have an issue with alcohol. Everyone is different I think.

BriarSkye

Anything is possible with addiction,
it is a disease of insanity.
A drug is a drug is a drug.
The YETS = Your Eligible Too