Hon, I didn't mean he was "typical." He's not. My daughter isn't. He will have to fight with all he has, and the poor kid is probably tired of fighting. BUT...with proper use of medications and therapy he CAN improve and stop getting into THAT kind of trouble and maybe if you tell him that, over and over again, he'll believe you. I had such a troubled childhood myself--bipolar/anxiety disorder/panic disorder--I had no impulse control at all, but I didn't break the law and I was afraid to even attempt getting drunk. I figured I'd be a hopeless drunk if I did, and I was screwed up enough.This mindset probably saved me from alcoholism because bipolars REALLY substance absue, but I didn't. I also highly recommend taking him to Cognitive Behavioral THerapy. It's the ONLY kind of therapy that I feel is useful. It changed my life, along with the medications. You may want to get him another evaluation too. Maybe he has more than ADHD and ADHD stims could be making him MORE rather than LESS impulsive. Some sort of effort has to come from him, but I agree he could use better help. If he doesn't remember something (and I'm not sure I buy it--having a druggie daughter who tells me 'never trust a druggie'--that could just be a way to get out of trouble), then I'd get a Neurological workup too. It's not normal at all to have blackouts, unless he was drinking so much he had a drunken blackout. I really wouldn't try to make excuses for him--it will encourage him to think "poor me." We had to play hardball with my daughter in order for her to change. She never got any formal diagnosis., although she was in therapy, but I strongly suspect ADHD and mild bipolar disorder, but she's doing GREAT now and isn't taking any medications. She even quit smoking!!!! (and I mean cigarettes, not pot...lol). Your son sounds a lot like my daughter--keeps screwing up, but he has a good heart and is sorry for what he does. The next step is to get him into treatment that will actually HELP him (so far nothing is) and see if he's willing to try very hard to learn why he does what he does and to change his behavior. Trust me, hon, I've been there!!! My daughter was a MESS. Every time I saw a police car, I shivered, wondering if they were stopping at our house. If you ever want to talk, send me a PM. I always like to give parents hope. I thought our daughter would end up in jail or dead, and yesterday she called me from her work (she is the Manager of a Fannie Mae Candy Store) and she was complaining about her irresponsible teenage employees...lol. My daughter was as bad a difficult child as you can get. She now admits she tried every drug under the sun, including heroin once. THat she's clean is a miracle. Big hugs and prayers to you. I would sit down with son and, to the best of your ability to communicate with him, ask if he's on board to go to a rehab and really change his life. Sounds like you love him lots and lots.