cluppino

My wife and I have a 20 year old son who has an opiate addiction. He has gone through a Detox and inpatient program and is now working through outpatient services. He was recently placed on medication (Suboxone) for carvings; however alhtough we undertsand that he was most likley fighting the craving demons before being placed on the medicine four days ago what we are seeing now is the same personality that we saw when he was under th influence of Oxicotin, his drug of choice. To us it seemed that he was functioning better without this medication. Now he is communicating less, he seems angry etc. any comments or suggestions appreciated.

Val-light

Hello Cluppino,
It might be helpful for your son to develop a close friendship with someone near his age who is suffering as he is or has made strides past that point...a Big Brother if you will. Sometimes a peer can have an increased positive effect and more pull than a parent.
A support group for parents is helpful too. Your son will see that you are making the extra effort and you'll develop special relationships with others who have something in common. You may already be doing all of these things. Best wishes.
Val

gonzo

Is Suboxone the same as methadone?
My ex has been thru those programs a jillion times and Personally I think that those programs give addicts an opportunity to hook up with more addicts and give them a license to be high (methadone ID card).
If its not the same thing, ask the people at his outpatient program.
Do they offer meetings and family involvment?
I dont mean to be negative , because your son is so young. Have you hooked up with the narc-anon sites here?
I'm sure there are many people with better suggestions than I have...... good luck.
Your son is lucky to have supportive people in his life..
Cindy

Evanna

Hi Cluppino.
There could be any number of reasons for the changes you are witnessing in your son. Getting well in not a linear process it is usually full of emotional ups and downs. It could be that this is your son beginning to feel again. Then again you may be entirely correct that this is as a result of the medication. But whatever i think this may be out of your hands.

You son has made some real positive moves with detox and inpatient programmes. I think you may need to leave the rest between him and his outpatient programme. Although i would suggest that your son goes to NA if he doesnt do so already.

That is a real tall order for a parent i know. Checking out the Nar-Anon board on here and Nar-Anon meetings in your area will help a great deal. There are many parents experiencing the same as you.

Incidently i do not entirely agree with Cindy. Yes, it is true that substitute programmes are open to abuse by addicts. But it is also true that substitute programmes can be a valuable tool to those that really want to get well. My recovery began with an 18mth methadone taper. I completed that 2yrs ago and have been abstinant ever since.

While i havent been on a suboxone programme i understand it to be slightly different from a methadone programme anyway insofar as it is less euphoric and contains a blocker. Therefore it would seem way less open to abuse.

Please post again in the Nar-anon forum as i am sure you will get a good response there from people that have walked in your shoes.

Sorry not to have much constructive to say.
Warmest Wishes and Pulling For You All,
Evanna.