Losing my son before my eyes

[GreenB]

Hi All,
I didn't think I'd be here asking for advice however, here i am.
My son is 21 and in the last couple of months has changed from a man that loves spending time with his family, eating and generally being included. I received a call just over a month ago advising me he was taken to a mental health unit by ambulance after taking ice and being very close to overdosing. He was there (voluntarily) for 3 days and sent home with a referral for a counsellor in his hand along with antidepressants as he voiced that he's been feeling suicidal and he tells me this also. He has seen the council lady once since and tells me the medication isn't doing anything.

His wife (married very young i know) has said he indulged since with this ice. Im freaking out. I'm getting 2 different people right now. 1 is calm and him as I know, the other is not very nice and im finding between them both can be manipulating.
I have 8yr old twins at home with me and cannot risk their safety with getting the not so nice version of their big brother so I've found myself deciding to take a step back from his frontline support. Im not sure if I'm doing the right thing by doing this as I definately do not want to enable the drug taking however know his mental health side probably really needs my help. Im just torn and watching him slip through my fingers is really hard! I've never shown disappointment in my son and have always ALWAYS said I'm his number 1 fan but right now im not sure i am

[Hannah-RO]

 Hey @GreenB 

I'm so deeply sorry that you are going through this, it must be so scary that your son is feeling this way, I'm really glad that you've reached out for support here. 

I understand he has seen his counsellor once, maybe it might be a good idea for him to see a counsellor/psychologist more regularly? He would be able to get a mental health plan from his GP, do you know if he has a good GP that he could chat to about what has been going on? A GP is often a good starting point for working out the best care, they might also be able to suggest some supports around his ice use.

We have some content which I'll link here and here about what to do when your young person is suicidal. If he is in immediate danger it's crucial to get professional support as soon as possible, - call “000” or take them to hospital.

It is lovely to read that you've never shown disappointment in your son and you're his number 1 fan, I understand this feels conflicted for you at the moment and you're concerned for the safety of your young children as well. There is a service that could be helpful for you to look into, its the Family Drug Service, they have a 24/7 support line and online support as well, is this something you would be comfortable looking into?

Please keep us updated with how you're going, we are here to support you through this and chat about things with you, thinking of you @GreenB