Gail, welcome. I'm sorry you're going thru this with your son. When our kids go off the rails for whatever reasons, it is devastating for us parents.
As a counselor you are likely aware of the supports available to us......You didn't mention anything about your son, but if he struggles with mental illness, perhaps NAMI might help. They are the National Alliance on Mental Illness and they can be accessed on line. They offer parent courses many of us have taken....they're excellent and can help us with resources, support, guidance and information.
I found this site 6 years ago in the middle of the night..... desperate, scared and filled with sorrow about my daughter......finding others who share this journey was invaluable. Writing down my story was cathartic and offered me empathy, compassion and insights which helped me to survive and begin to learn how to let go and accept what I can't control. It's not an easy path when it involves our precious children. The grief we feel is staggering.....it's been the hardest thing I've ever done.....and yet......there is life after enabling.....
I think many of us hear that same internal dialogue.....however, in the sharing of our stories, that dissipates......you're not alone, we're all in that same boat, just at different places in the fogginess of trying to love our kids without enabling them.
Continue to share your story. Continue getting as much support as you can. I'm glad you found us. You are not alone.
