Does he not care or is it a cry for help?

[GoingNorth]

Very interesting. I haven't had it happen, back when I was on Zoloft before I went on benzos, and that NSAID is a no-go for me as it eats holes in my innards.

Thanks for the info though. It gives me info for doing a deeper search.

 

[kt4394]

My gut is telling me that he is being so cooperative in taking his Zoloft knowing that it will show up so he can take other stuff. I know, by looking through his phone, that other kids are selling, "bars" - Xanax (thanks Urban Dictionary). I would love to be able to get a more specific test, but the tests now are done by the courts. I looked into doing one at a lab, private pay, and it would be $350. Eek. We are spending so much money on this whole thing and, frankly, just don't have the extra money for the test(s).
So, tomorrow we have his 2nd appointment with the psychiatrist. Hubs is going to have to dismiss him from school for it, which I think is actually better. He just takes off after school if left to his own devices. Cross your fingers for me. Hope we make it.
as always, everyone, thanks again!

 

[RN0441]

Hi KT

Your story sounds like mine and now that you mentioned BENZOS I know why!

Benzos, when abused, made my son act exactly how your son is acting. Xanax is a benzo also but my son used others mainly.

For some reason some of these kids/young men think that since it's a prescription drug, it's ok. I don't know how they justify that but they do and it's terrible.

Get all the help you can and TRY TRY TRY to take care of your own sanity. I know how hard it is believe me!

 

[InsaneCdn]

think that since it's a prescription drug, it's ok. I don't know how they justify that but they do and it's terrible.

Part of the justification is that it is safer than "street" drugs, because at least you know what you are getting. Less chance of accidental overdose. In theory.

 

[GoingNorth]

Xanax, for some odd reason, are more likely than other benzos to cause aggressive behavior, even during blackouts.

I was RXed them originally for my Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) panic disorder. I hated them for the same reason a lot of recreational benzo users love them.

They hit like a ton of bricks. They can be incapacitating even in prescribed doses, and while they will knock down a panic attack, they don't last long enough for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and they also knock you out. All this is is MHO, of course.

They are considered to be the most or second most addictive of the pharma benzos, swapping that crown back and forth with Temazepam.

My current psychiatrist won't prescribe them at all.

 

[RN0441]

They didn't knock my son out! I wished they had.

They made him drink whiskey and turn into someone I did not know or care to know!!

 

[GoingNorth]

Yes, alcohol with-benzos can increase the likelihood of both blackout and aggression. Aggression and other "bad" behavior can occur during blackouts.

Alcohol and benzos can also make you DEAD when mixed, as each potentiates the other. I take prescribed benzos in prescribed dosages, and if I drink 4 times a year, that's a lot. When I drink, I have ONE drink, be it beer or hard liquor. (Wine gives me migraines.)

Please be aware that alcohol and benzo withdrawal can be deadly, the most common cause of death during those withdrawals are seizures that cannot be stopped (status epilepticus). Suicide is also a risk, due to the mental/emotional side effects of withdrawal.

Benzo withdrawal takes a LONG time, and in chronic users, effects may be noted for years after ceasing chronic use.

 

[kt4394]

So that's my latest worry. He takes Zoloft for his anxiety and he never gives us trouble taking it, even though he gives us trouble for everything else. I can't shake the feeling that he is taking something else. His attitude and behavior make me think he doing more than just smoking pot. He is so angry, so defiant and so uncaring about anyone or anything. How do I test to differentiate between Zoloft and any other drugs? Is that even possible? ARGH

 

[GoingNorth]

Well, you can do a 12 panel test to pick up the most common drugs of abuse. You would need to see a doctor to have blood drawn to be tested to rule out benzo use.

You would want to see a positive for therapeutic levels of Zoloft, combined with no benzos. Hopefully @Darkwing Psyduck will show up on this as my "wild child days" were in the 70s. I'm pretty up on "pharms", but know next to nothing about research chemicals and the like.

I think Darkwing, being so newly sober, would be closer to the scene as it is now, or at least how it was a couple of years ago.

Darkwing, could you help kt4394 out with this? (Only if it isn't triggering.)

The drug that worries me is "molly" or MDMA, which has a nasty come down. There's also meth, which has an awful comedown and Adderal, where the comedown is milder, but still no fun.

All of these drugs, when crashing, cause anger, irritability, depression, cravings for more of the drugs and in the case of Meth, severe paranoia and psychosis. Users of meth and adderall, especially, will use high doses of benzos to finally get to sleep after being up for multiple days on a "speed run" (term from the dark ages).