NAMI class tonight

[Kathy813]

We discussed borderline tonight and as I suspected difficult child fits the criteria perfectly. We also shared our stories tonight and there were audible gasps when husband described finding difficult child overdosed on the couch. Honestly, I was so used to dealing with one difficult child crisis after another that this one didn't seem all that worse than the others. Maybe it was because I was not the one that found her. That, or I just don't let myself go there.

At the end of the class, one of the teachers suggested a book for me to read. It is called The Burden of Sympathy and it deals with mental illness from the caregiver's side.

I read reviews on Amazon and it won't be easy reading. I liked the title of one of the chapters . . . the Four C's. It's the three C's we talk about here with an additional C.

I didn't cause it. I can't cure it. I can't control it. All I can do is cope with it

I just ordered it for my Kindle and I will let y'all know what I think.

~Kathy

 

[Nancy]

That's interesting Kathy. Sometimes when we look back on some of the tragic events we have endured with our difficult children it is overwhelming and a miracle we are sane, and you have had your share for sure.

 

[Kathy813]

Another thing we learned is that research has shown that hitting bottom is not the solution when there is a dual diagnosis. You can't treat addiction first and then the mental illness and vice versa. There has to be an integrated treatment for both. It makes sense to me because if you treat the addiction but not the mental illness causing the self-medication the mental illness will drive the person back to self medicating. And you can't treat the mental illness when the substance abuse is clouding the brain.

Even my difficult child said to her cousin on the way down to detox that she was glad that there was a mental health component to where she was going. She believes that her substance abuse is due to her mental health issues.

Tonight made me feel that difficult child is in the right place since they specialize in dual diagnosis.

~Kathy

 

[Nancy]

I agree. It's why we know even if difficult child never had another drink her problems are not over and why we knew many years ago that her life was going to be very difficult.

 

[rejectedmom]

Looking foward to your review of this book. As for the dual Diagnosis..I firmly believe that all aspects of a person's problems need to be addresssed for any treatment to be sucessful. -RM

 

[DDD]

My family issues are not the same. on the other hand I want to assure you that I somehow understand. Because of that I can support you wholeheartedly. Your friend, DDD