Don't want addictive substances in home

WiseChoices

Well-Known Member
I need help .My son started therapy today (yeah for him!). He is 23 and currently living at home. We don't allow drugs or alcohol in our home . The therapist referred him to a psychiatrist to get medications and he said it was for antianxiety medications which are highly addictive. He is at high risk for substance abuse, smoked pot in college every day for a whole semester and then a whole lot the remaining 3 semesters . He spends hundreds of dollars on an online card game, so there is addiction there already.

Daughter (20) also decided she wants help now (depression, possible Borderline (BPD) my assessment, depressed, self injury, anxiety). She has been on 3 different antidepressants, and had an atavan, Klonopin, and a 3 Rd anti anxiety medication in her possession at one time. She has been suicidal for years and told me she would do it with pills at one point, so I made her give me 2 bottles and only let her keep the atavan. That has been gone since May and she did use them as prescribed. With her self injury behavior and depression she is at high risk for substance abuse and for suicide as well.

Husband is drug addict in recovery (27 years), I am an alcoholic in recovery (28 years), and so genetically both kids are predisposed . I also go to Al Anon.

I want to extend my rule for no drugs and no alcohol in house to prescribed substances that are highly addictive. I don't want atavan, Klonopin etc in my home which is my sanctuary. Both adult children currently live here.

Daughter wants help now, she says after refusing it for a long time. But, the help she looked for is a psychiatrist, so she just wants medications, no therapy . She now thinks she has ADHD and wants drugs for that (Ritalin, adderall) . Those are addictive, too. Is it ok for me to say that I don't want any of those drugs (ie if they are addictive) in my home or is that working against my children getting better?
 

toughlovin

Well-Known Member
I think it's reasonable ro not want addictive substances in your home given your families history and predisposition to addiction. Any psychiatrist treating your kids should know about this history. I would tell your kids that of they want to live in your home and be on these medications they need to sign releases so you can talk tobthe psychiatrist.

Most antianxiety medications are addictive although I think they may have found some that arent. I donth think ritalin and adderall are traditionally addictive but they are misused and abused.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
OMG my son abused Klonopin and Adderal. And he'd trade Adderal for weed. I'd say NO WAY to any of it.

I did talk to the psychiatrist but it did no good and once he got his hands on it and was an adult and blah blah.

Don't even go there is my advice.

There ARE anxiety medications now that are not controlled substances that do work so don't listen to any of it.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
Not sure but I'd google it.

Citalopram is not addictive - 20mg. It's on record for depression but also treats anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) so I'm getting some next month.
 

BusynMember1

Well-Known Member
Kay stole and abused all ADHD drugs when a teen. That includes Ritalin. We found it in her room! Somebody in the know told us that Kay and her little crowd of dysfunctional drug users both crushed it for snorting and sold it for money. Yes, I am ashamed that she sold drugs.

Adderrall is more preferred because it is stronger than Ritalin, I hear, but all of these drugs are speed. They would not be so carefully monitored if they were not so greatly abused.

Also I have many relatives on SSRI antidepressants. While they were told that these drugs were not addictive, getting off of them was as hard as any addictive drug. Look up SSRI withdrawal. I am afraid of SSRIs after seeing relatives in agony while trying to wean off these medications.
 

WiseChoices

Well-Known Member
Kay stole and abused all ADHD drugs when a teen. That includes Ritalin. We found it in her room! Somebody in the know told us that Kay and her little crowd of dysfunctional drug users both crushed it for snorting and sold it for money. Yes, I am ashamed that she sold drugs.

Adderrall is more preferred because it is stronger than Ritalin, I hear, but all of these drugs are speed. They would not be so carefully monitored if they were not so greatly abused.

Also I have many relatives on SSRI antidepressants. While they were told that these drugs were not addictive, getting off of them was as hard as any addictive drug. Look up SSRI withdrawal. I am afraid of SSRIs after seeing relatives in agony while trying to wean off these medications.
Yes , I know all about SSRI withdrawal. Daughter has been on 4 different ones. None worked long term. Now she wants to try again.
 

WiseChoices

Well-Known Member
Not sure but I'd google it.

Citalopram is not addictive - 20mg. It's on record for depression but also treats anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)) so I'm getting some next month.
Thank you for that . Will look into it.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
Miss KT took Ritalin for a while, Hubby still does. According to Son #1, Ritalin can be sold for something like $5 per pill, making a monthly supply worth upwards of $300 if prescribed two a day. Just something else to think about.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
I was able to easily wean off my Lexipro years ago. I took one every other day for a week or so and then just stopped and I had no ill effects. I had been on them for a year and a half.

But I'm sure it is harder for some like anything else.
 

toughlovin

Well-Known Member
One thing to think about (and maybe you already have) is what you will do if they break the rule of no substances in your house. If they are using there is a good chance they will bring them in. At least this is what we found.....and after my son left our home we found all kinds of drug paraphanalia (like needles). I have found it helps me to think ahead of time what I will do if my son breaks a rule that I have set.... luckily at this point my home is my sanctuary again so its not an issue but it sure has been in the past.
 

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
Agree. Idle threats that we do not follow through with give them more power. So you have to back up what you say you'll do.

You and hubby must present as a united front.
 
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