Topic : 12/19 Generation Rx

 Addicts will use whatever is cheap and available.  There is a subset of the population with mental issues who search for a rush to alleviate underlying mental disease and/or emotional discomfort of dealing with the stressors in their lives.  Banning this or that or the other has really had no effect on substance abuse.  The population of these folks remains fairly steady.

The robo-tripping girl obviously suffers from an anxiety that only relents when she alters her brain chemistry with food or drugs.  I don't know if its a natural defect that would have manifested in any case, or if some special circumstance triggered it.  HIding cough medicine from customers who need it won't fix her.  She will move on to some other substance or some other way,  probably a self-destructive one, to control her symptoms and get her mind off her troubles.

Today's show is again so eye opening.  As a parent, how does one do an intervention for a 41 year old child who is an admitted addict for the last 7 years, now in jail?  As a grandparent, how does one do an intervention for the child of an addicted child and the other parent thinks pot and "coke" are fine as long as "the kids do it at home"?  Frustrated, depressed and helpless is the only way I can describe how I feel.  I know and believe that any conversation with my daughter is NOT with her, but an addict.  My grandson has totally separated himself from me and has been encouraged by his father to do so.  We live 10 hours apart.  I so want to help, but how?

Helpless Nana.

Skittles refers to someone who huffs paint.  Different colors...  Also it can refer to someone who takes different meds together to see what affect they get.  They don't think about drug interactions or how one could actually kill them.

 

 

  I can remember in the 70's when I was in a junior in high school starting to sniff lighter fluid.  Only got a 30 second high.  Later experimented with rolling lipton tea and smoking once.  Knowing what I know now I apparently was in alot of emotional pain.  Alot had already happened in my life and this made me 4get it temporarily.  I am now on anti-depressants.  I don't think the drugs started the depression . I was depressed first.  I can also remember sitting in class and cutting my arm up with a razor blade.  I popped whatever pretty pill was new at the time at least once.  All this stuff I see in the paper about guns in schools and drug use and etc has always been in this world but wasn't advertised like it is now.

 

So many times as I try to work with my daughter about where she is now in her life and where she is going with the way she behaves, I feel that I am being too harsh on her.  Well after watching this show I know that I am not being too harsh.  I am right in line.  We insist that we know where she is, who she's with, and what she doing all the time.  I insist that she does her homework, practice her instrument and do chores before she does the things she love the most: IMing, Television, phone, etc.  I believe the problem with our youth is that we give into their winning too much.  I believe that a firm hand, showing that you care about their daily lives.  Don't give in ever, keep the rules clear and stick with the rules no matter what.  I could not believe that you intervened in that child's life.  But someday he will be praising Dr. Phil.  I hope this is a wake-up call for all parents that they have the control, not their children.  If you can't do it at home, then find help somewhere else.  Thanks for being there for these people Dr. Phil.

 

 

Kids, if you are doing drugs here is the best way to tell your parents.

 

Call a family meeting with only them.  Tell them you need to discuss something that has been bothering you and that you need their support and understanding.

 

Sit them down and tell them that you have made a decision to ask for help with a problem but that you want them to listen first and then ask questions.  Please do not interupt you as this is extremely hard for you to do.  Tell them you expect shock and that you may hurt them by what you say but that you have to tell them and that you need their help to stop.

 

1.  Tell them you have been using drugs.

2.  What drugs

3.  Why you started and why you want to quit.

4.  What benefits you feel it has given you.  Euphoria, friends do it, you feel part of a group, it's fun...  Be honest.

5.  What made you change your mind.

 

Parents!

When and if you find that your child has been doing drugs or if theyask for help.

 

1.  Take a deep breath

2.  DO not yell or threaten your child.

3.  If your child has requested help look up alateen or drug treatment centers close to home.

4.  If your child will not talk to you about your suspicions then take them to their doctor, drug test them and if it is positive find a treatment center.

5.  Make it easier for your child to come to you.

 

 

   I am so glad that Dr. Phil did a show on this topic.  I am the kind of parent that wants to know what is going on out there with my kids, and I did not know that this was as big of an issue as it is.  I know plenty of parents who say  "not my child" and stick their head in the sand.  I feel like it is a big part of my job as a parent to stay informed on the pressures my kids are facing.  I love that Dr. Phil gives you resources that go along with the topics he airs.  I checked out the Connect With Kids website you can link to, and they have great information about so many issues that affect our kids.  I had no idea about some of these things!  And I wish they didn't exist, but they do, so I am going to find out as much as I can, so hopefully I can see the signs or hear the warning signals if they happen.  My heart goes out to the kids who are facing this addiction.  The ones on the show are very brave to tell their story to help other kids.

I feel for this girl..I do believe if she does not get help then she is not long for this world..What I want to know is how the HELL could her mother NOT know what was going on..She found fifty pounds of vomit in her bedroom? How could she not find it by the smell?

The main thing people should know is this isn’t just a kid thing.  My husband (36) suffers from Robei abuse!!  It’s destroying our marriage and I don’t know what to do.  He takes 4-8 bottles at a time.  He says it’s a legal way to get high.  There are not drug test out there that will test for an over dose of Robei.  We have an 8 month old baby at home.  I know he needs help and he know he needs help.  We have contacted the Dr. Phil show many times about this new high and never got a response.  I am just happy to see that people are starting to look into it.

 

It’s destroying my life and I am not even the one using it.

Without77

We have just recently had to deal with this same issue with my 15 year old daughter.  She began to experiment with many of the drugs that were addressed on todays show (Wed. 9/27)  as well as with marijuana, alcohol and we are not sure of what else she may have tried.  After a year of uphill battles, things seem to be better.  I use the term "seem" because as the one mother stated, it is hard to trust and believe again.  My husband, her step father, and myself are hoping that it was just an experimental thing or peer pressure and that she has realized the heartache it has cause us all, as well as the trouble it has brought for her.  She has nearly lost a year in school due to this.  She is struggling everyday to get back in the game and continue her school work towards the day she will graduate.  As I said before, we hope she has learned her lesson and this is all behind her but I guess the best way to find that out is to wait and see, never let your guard down and let them know you love them and are always there for them, no matter what.