RE: If you have teenagers read this.

[Guest guest]

That had to be very difficult for you .....How is your daughter doing now?

Is she going to NA on a regular basis...Does her sponsor help her?

I hope and pray that she is doing better.

I hope this finds you and yours well

Mark E. Armstrong

casca@...

www.top5plus5.com

PAI NW Rep

ICQ #59196115

If you have teenagers read this.

I have debated if I should share this, but if it helps one

person then it will have been worth airing our dirty laundry. In the

beginning of February my daughter 19 years old overdosed, she had

left my home in February last year. She had become untolerable, she

was just too hard to live with. I see now why, she was a drug

addict. It has been very difficult to see my daughter struggle with

her addictions, and the mind can only wonder at what she has done to

get drugs. At first she would not admit she had a problem and I had

to have her LOCKED in a psychiatric until to keep her from getting

drugs( which didn't work because they just brought them to her) yes

in a hospital they brought in cocaine. She is an adult and was mad

at me for keeping her there against her wishes so she could let

anyone come in too see her that she wanted just not me. Anyway I

won't go into all the details, but here are a list of warning signs f

for those out there with teenagers.

inability to keep friends, peers that are older, spending large

amounts of money, not coming home, rudeness, aggressiveness, self

centeredness (extreme) nose bleeds, finding straws everywhere, or

hollowed out ink pens, terrible odors permeating through

clothing,unexplained behavior. What to do if you suspect these

things, confront your child make them explain what is going on, take

away any vehicles that you are paying anything for( gas, insurance,)

the main point here is that you have more control over your child

while they are minors once they reach 18 you have NO power. If you

find drugs call the police. Last month I had the police search my

entire home because I knew she had drugs. I talked with a few drug

rehab places and they told me she was going to die if she didn't get

help one lady told me " You can visit her in jail or you can visit

her in the cemetry, take your pick " It was the hardest thing I have

ever ever ever done in my life but I did it. We take things here day

buy day with her. I never know when she leaves from here if I will

ever see her again, or if the next time I see her she will be dead

but I thought this might save the next kid.

Atwell LPN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

My name is Patty and when I was younger I was admitted to an inpatient hospital

for drug addiction. I was in there for only 1 week. It was the worse time of

my life. I went through the DT's and everything. When I was discharged I went

to NA meetings and I hated them. I liked AA alot better. I relapsed into my

downward spiral of alcohol addiction. Hince is why I now have Chronic

Pancreatitis. I am 36 years old and was diagnosed with CP in 2001. It is the

only thing that stopped me from drinking any more. I still have a problem with

the pain pills since it is why I was first put in an inpatient facility. I go

to only one physician for my pain medication and I made sure they new of my

previous addiction. It is a daily struggle to take med as I am suppose to. I

know from my past experience that I quit only because of my diagnosis of this

disease not because of my family or even my children. Before I was commited to

inpatient hospital I tried to kill my self by taking all kinds of pills because

my parents threated to take my kids away from me so I thought killing myself was

the answer. It killed me to see my kids upset over their mommy being so sick.

My kids are my world now. I have told them the truth about what caused my CP.

The alcohol abuse. My kids are 17 and 14 now. I stress to them the importance

of not drinking alcohol because they have seen what it has done to me.

You are doing the best you can for your daughter but she will only quit doing

drugs when she is ready not when someone tells her she should quit. This is

just my opinion of how I delt with my addiction and my family.

Take Care

Patty

Corydon, Indiana

> If you have teenagers read this.

>

> I have debated if I should share this, but if it helps one

> person then it will have been worth airing our dirty laundry. In the

> beginning of February my daughter 19 years old overdosed, she had

> left my home in February last year. She had become untolerable, she

> was just too hard to live with. I see now why, she was a drug

> addict. It has been very difficult to see my daughter struggle with

> her addictions, and the mind can only wonder at what she has done to

> get drugs. At first she would not admit she had a problem and I had

> to have her LOCKED in a psychiatric until to keep her from getting

> drugs( which didn't work because they just brought them to her) yes

> in a hospital they brought in cocaine. She is an adult and was mad

> at me for keeping her there against her wishes so she could let

> anyone come in too see her that she wanted just not me. Anyway I

> won't go into all the details, but here are a list of warning signs f

> for those out there with teenagers.

> inability to keep friends, peers that are older, spending large

> amounts of money, not coming home, rudeness, aggressiveness, self

> centeredness (extreme) nose bleeds, finding straws everywhere, or

> hollowed out ink pens, terrible odors permeating through

> clothing,unexplained behavior. What to do if you suspect these

> things, confront your child make them explain what is going on, take

> away any vehicles that you are paying anything for( gas, insurance,)

> the main point here is that you have more control over your child

> while they are minors once they reach 18 you have NO power. If you

> find drugs call the police. Last month I had the police search my

> entire home because I knew she had drugs. I talked with a few drug

> rehab places and they told me she was going to die if she didn't get

> help one lady told me " You can visit her in jail or you can visit

> her in the cemetry, take your pick " It was the hardest thing I have

> ever ever ever done in my life but I did it. We take things here day >

> buy day with her. I never know when she leaves from here if I will

> ever see her again, or if the next time I see her she will be dead

> but I thought this might save the next kid.

>

>

> Atwell LPN

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> _____

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

It must have been a difficult decision to discuss this, but I appreciate your

motives in doing so. I'm so very sorry that this has happened to you, your

family, and your daughter.

You have been very strong to do what you have so far, and I'll pray for your

strength to continue. I'm sure this is only part of the beginning of a long

journey of recovery and that you will all need much strength and support to

carry it through. Thank you for thinking of others, and what telling your story

could do to save others from suffering through as much as you have.

Good luck, , and keep well.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should never be

substituted for consultation with a medical professional.