What is Meth Addiction
Methamphetamine (also referred to as methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine) is a synthetic stimulant drug used for both medicinal and recreational purposes (see Legal issues). Metha...
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New...Trying to help my daughter..Please Help
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My daughter is 31 years old and has two adorable boys 10 and 6. I've known for the last couple years that she has been suffering from depression. She did go to a doctor who said she thought she was ADD and was given ritalin and told to take 5 pills a day, which when she takes it all it does it hype her up.
I now feel that she may being using meth even though she completely denies any use and is very defensive upon trying to talk to her. I am so afraid for her and her two chldren. The last two months she has had two episdoes and thinking that bugs or some kind of parasite was coming out of her skin and that everyone is talking about her. The first episdoe, I knew there was no bugs but took her to the ER to reassure her, I even spoke to the doctor behind her back, thinking that she was just having a nervous breakdown. The ER did nothing so I took her for an emergency mental health visit at which point she was giving Xyprexa to calm herself down and told to continue taking her ritalin, even though I told her doctor what I was seeing. Her second episode this last weekend was a wake-up call for me, she called me and told me that her and the children were infested with some type of parasite or bug that was coming out of their skin. She was digging in her childrens ears to try to get them out along with scraping her childrens feet because she felt they were coming out of her feet. She believed this so much that we had to take her and her children to the ER and of course the doctors saw nothing again, I would have thought that she would have been given a tox screen. I talked her into letting her children stay with their other grandmother even though I didn't think of meth at this point, I thought she may be hallucinating because of taking too much ritalin, I felt that the kids should not be with her because of her state of mind. I took her home and her brother in law was there to keep an eye on her. At 4:30 in the morning she drove herself to another hospital. She called me afterwards stating that people were outside the hospital watching her and that the DEA was also watching her and she didn't know why because she hasn't done anything. when I got there she told me not to talk loud because they were listening. She also told me that she knew that I was at the hospital when she was there talking to doctors behind her back, the paranoia was severe in my opinion. I also noticed that she had 6 open sores on her face, which she kept pointing out that the sores had just popped up on her face and that she had not touched them. Her other symptoms she was describing were as follows: Blurred vision out of one of her eyes stating that her eyes were very dry. Sores in the corner of her mouth very aggitated feeling of not being able to breathe chest pain She said her breath was really bad no matter how much she brushed. She had been looking for hours through medical books to find causes of her symptoms. dizziness numbness in her feet and hands. My daughter has lost a lot of weight the last couple months, and she has actually always had a problem losing weight. The couple days leading up to her hallucinations, she was so focused and obsessed on certain subjects such as antiques, geneology, etc., she was saying things to me that just didn't make sense. After her second visit to the ER she fell asleep and slept for 25 hours. I feel bad that I didn't pick up on this earlier and I'm not sure I'm 100% correct. My daughter has not history of drug or alcohol abuse. I am realistic enough after doing research that she is a good possibility that she is using meth or something equivalant. I recently found out that her brother in law, who pops in and out all the time is using meth, his girlfriend actually just got out of jail because of meth. My daughter denied that he would ever do any type of drug, but he did admit yesterday that he was using meth. I'm sorry to be so long winded; I've never been in a situation like this. My daughter is denying any type of illegal drug abuse and told her husband that she would take a drug test, which she hasn't. Her husband is only home on the weekends, he has not seen what others have been seeing these last few weeks. Her husband is a severe alcoholic and mentally and verbally abusive to her and the children. I have tried on many occassions to get her to leave, but she continually makes excuses for him. I have witnessed on many occassions him being falling down slopply and foul mouthed drunk. I would appreciate any suggestions on how to get her help when she being so defensive when I approach her about the subject and denying to the end that she is using. Is there a drug kit that can be purchased so that she can be tested without her being aware that I'm doing this? I am so desperate and grasping at straws to find help or advice on how to help her. She has seen 4 different doctors during her paranoia and hallucinating episodes and none of them have picked up on it. I am afraid for the children, I was also told that she is sleeping (I assume this is from crashing from lack of sleep) and the kids are coming home from school and having to take care of themselves because she doesn't wake up, she goes into such a deep sleep. I do have an aunt who is schizophrenic, that is one possibility that I have considered....I just don't know. Again, I'm sorry to be so long winded...I would appreciate any advice to stear my in the right direction before something happens to her or her children. Posted on 05/19/08, 11:05 pm |
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I am sorry you are being pulled through. I denied to my mother my use untill I got sober. I was ashamed and scared and well....high usually. If she is not on meth than she is having sever mental problems and needs help either way ASAP. The next time she has an episode, and you are with make sure she gets a tox screen and that should tell you the truth! good luck!! Take care 
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I am not a betting man but what I am is an x meth abuser and almost 35 yrs of it and if I where a betting man I would put everything I own toward betting that your daughter is a very critical meth addict and the reason I say this is because when a person sees bugs or thinks ropes are growing out of their bodies and mix that with the DEA and parinoid all the time then they are 9 out of 10 times using meth .Now what to look for to confirm it would be needle marks bruises knots in the arms or legs but if she is a smoker then look for burns on her fingers lips arms and check out her purse and if she has a cache of lighters then theres your sign.Ritilin dont make people pick on their bodies other wise the Dr would have told you and if her heart hurts its because she is depriving it of rest by staying up all the time.Hope all goes well and its not to late before things get way out there.Deral PS They sell kits at most pharmacies like cvs walgreens and the plan on getting urine from her would be to con her into believing the commode is messed up and turn the water off behind the tank flush it until all the water is gone then put just enough back in it to look somewhat normal and do this when you think she is wired and tell her to go ahead and use it if she has to pee and when shes done skoop out the pee and test it.You can ask her to voluntire but if she refuses then youve blown your cover and I would say if she wont do it then there is obviously something to hide.Deral
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Thank you sooo much for the responses. I feel in my heart that she is using meth; I know that she knows that people around her are suspecting this now--I don't know if that's enough to make her quit because of her children possibly being taken away. From what I have read about meth most addictive and hardest drug to quit. If she is using she will just try to hide her symptoms more.
I am going to keep in contact with her daily and check on her and if and when she has another episode I am taking her to the ER and making her get a tox screen, if she is not using she should have to problem doing this. If she refuses the tox screen I will know that she is so either way I will find out. Right now I feel that she is telling people what they want to hear and is manipulating everyone. I am not trying to jump the gun, but I am being realistic at the same time and all her behavior points to meth use. There are several people in the family who thinks it's just stress. I took her to another doctor yesterday and she felt that she has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I can't believe what I am having to go through with doctors and not one of them even asked her if she is doing any type of illegal drugs. I will do my best to get her the help she needs. Thanks again for your responses regarding meth.
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I remember at the end of the long spiral, I shoot meth, anyways I was in a hotel room setting up all night diggin in my legs, arms, chest, face as I thought I had bugs crawling in my skin and also thought I could see "shards" of the dope coming out of my skin. I also thought every single FED knew I was in that hotel room. Then I started to think the FEDS tainted my dope and were expermineting with it on me. Fucked up shit meth is. Crazy behavior like that, thinking all ae out for me and all eyes are on me and insane behaviors. I could go on and on and on about all the different things we junkies will do when high, but wont. But the picking for me would tell me she has been at it for awhile or has been up for a really long time. In any event that is my story. I will keep you your daughter and grandkids in my prayers. Amen.
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Having been married to a meth user, I too was confused by my suspicions and tried to rationalize what I thought his behaviors might be a result of, but in the end, it was meth.
Please take care of your grandchildren before anything else. An alcoholic father that abuses them and an addict mother is a very frightening environment. Don't be afraid to do whatever it takes to ensure their safety.
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Thanks for the above responses; I have called drug hotlines and talked to a couple intervention people and was told that in their opinion she is definately drug related. I have called Project Horizon a group for domestic violence. I think that I may mentioned above that her husband is a severe alcoholic who works out of town all week and when he's home all he does is drink; the children are seeing this, he condems and puts her down constantly, she can never do enough to please him and he expects that she should be superwoman and try to raise the two children by herself since he brings home the pay check. I do know that even during the week while working that he is drunk a couple hours after getting off work, he calls her and fusses and curses her and tells her that she is useless and that he wished that had never married her.
The last couple years I have begged her to seek help for depression, she can sleep 16 hours a day and still feel horrible, she says that's she doesn't feel depressed, but from what I understand someone sleeping that much is a good indicator of depression. The last 4-6 months she has had periods of being so energetic and talking excessively...some of the things she says makes no senses at all. As far a making it sound worse than it is, I can assure you if anything I have made it sound better than it actually is. I live 30 minutes away from my daughter and work full-time and am trying to care for my mother with a terminal brain tumor. I've always heard it said for every rat you see there are 50 that you don't. I know that from what I have see being up and exciteable for several days then crashing for a couple days something serious is going on, and I realize it could be the ritalin, I'm not ruling that out but I am also being realistic it could be some form of illegal substance. She is constantly pushed from her husband to do everything. He is home approximately 24 hours a week in which he's ususally drunk and he brings all his dirty clothes and dishes from the work week and she has to take care to make sure they are done before he returns to work. I am trying my best to get her help, but she is still in denial that she is abusing any drugs, I do know that the last couple years she occassionally self medicates on narcotic pain pills or tussinix when she get get them from the doctor, I feel that there are times that she has went in and made it sound worse than what it is in order for her to get pain medication. I know that she does not have access to pain pills daily but when she does get them she will finish the bottle. I don't know how to help her at this point without her admitting she has a problem, her husband has basically told us to stay out of their business, but she is my daughter and has my grandchildren and I can't just pretend their is nothing going on or that this will get fixed on it's own. She may not be able to stop on her own if she is using perscription or illegal drugs. I've never dealt with this, but I am making phone calls and trying to find out ways that I can help her. Right now I am just trying to support her and praying that she will open up to me, I'm afraid that if I push her to hard she will not trust me or open up to me. I am just trying to build up her trust in me and assure her that I will help her through this without telling any family members what is going on unless I thought her children were in danger from her than I have to do what needs to be done to protect them. I appreciate everyone's advice it is more helpful that I can tell you; I thank you for tcaring enough to take your time to respond and everybit of information I get will be able to help and know what to watch for. Thank you so much, I will keep checking back to see if anyone has additional information that may be helpful also. Again, thank you and God bless you for responding to my post
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You recongizing the addiction will keep you from enabling her. My heart goes out to you and everyone effected by meth. Please keep strong yourself and keep loving your daughter. Continue to encourage her to seek treatment, but until she is ready and realizes she wants help, there is nothing you can do but pray. Please visit my sons' memorial website, light a candle, read his story, share it with your daughter and others. May Austin's story scare the hell out of you, make you cry and give all the strength to break free from meth's grip
www.austin-hesse.last-memories.com Blessings to you
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Tussinex is a cough syrup and a narcotic which leads me to believe that your daughter may be smoking the meth because it does make one cough a lot and rasp deep in the lungs so either way you have a drug addict that will revert to any drug to get high and just as Marie said until she admits she has a problem all you can do is pray .Now as for the abusive mr. control freak alcoholic husband he needs to step back take a good look at what he is doing to his family by treating her like she is his kick around slave .I dont know you people or your family as a whole but I do know this much I was raised in an abusive home w/ an alcoholic daddy and its not good and has contributed to my mother being beat and verbally and emotionally abused and while I was a child there was nothing we could do because there where four children but if my father ever raises his hand to my mother now it will be his last time and Ive told him that .This son inlaw of yours needs to be taken out behind the barn and straightened up then he needs to wash cloths and cook for a full month after work without drinking .I dont know where men get off to thinking women dont work when they cook clean and take care of the kids all day but those that do think like this and are reading this you are as sorry as they make em and if you think thats love then your an uneducated idiot that dont know what a websters looks like.Deral
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:(I appreciate all the responses; I have went to my daughter's house begging her to let me take her for a psyche evaluation. Even though she is not hallucinating right now and is doing better she was agreeing to seek treatment. Her husband came in while I was talking to her and started cussing me and telling me that we need to stay out of his business...it was a horrible scene. I know this terrorized my daughter even more and now I think she's afraid to go for a evaluation.
Her husband just lost total control, he did make me cry but I did not leave, I did convince my daughter to leave and she did come home with me and I took her to a regular doctor this next morning who thought it may be stress induced and also told her to get off the ritalin and that she needs to leave her husband. I had to go to a evaluation in reference to my mother regarding her brain tumor about an hour after my daughter's appointment and she promised that she was going to go back to my house and go to sleep. She called me before I could get back to the house and said that she was going back to her house to show her husband which bills that had, and as you can guess she stayed. She used the excuse that she was just biding her time until the kids got out of school. As far as the other grandmother, her son is totally innocent in all this. My daughter is the one who needs the help. I know for a fact that my daughter's husband's brother is using meth and he stops by all the time while her husband is out of town working. But according to the other grandmother, he assured her that he was not taking any drugs and naturally she believes him. I honestly don't know which way to turn; I am trying my best to get my daughter help and her abusive alcoholic husband is fighting me every step of the way. She has been married to him 12 years and I have never seen him behave the way he did when he went off on me. In fact, he has never spoken a harsh word to me since I've known him. I just feel so overwhelmed now trying to be there and deal with my mother's terminal illness along with helping my step-father who is by himself at home, and he's almost 90. A few years ago my brother had a stroke and since then I have been taking care of his medication and bills and doing things that he needs, he actually lived with me for 7 months which about sent me over the edge, he was totally dependent on me. Anyway...I just don't know what to do....so far I haven't been able to convince my daughter to get an evaluation and her husband and his family will not help in anyway. Right now she seems normal and is taking care of the children like she's supposed to, but she has had two episodes of hallucinating in the last two months. If it was drug induced and she does not stop I know that it will happen again. She has always been a great mother to her children and she does anything for them, it's just that the last few months it's all she can do somedays to function. I have never had any reason to fear for their safety until now...I don't know what's going on with her and she keeps blowing me off as far as seeking help. I just don't know what my options are at this point. Thanks so much for the replies, I am going to call her now and see how she is doing. I really do appreciate all your support at such a tough time in our families life.
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Honey, my Daughter is a bit older...but same sad story with children..loss and gaining weight..abusive man who uses meth to control her....sleep apnea.. "Meth gives her energy?"
I will give you a few things I have learned...give your daughter food, clothing for the kids, if need be clothing for her....remove all tags so she can't take them back to trade them for drugs..do not give her money.if you give her cash you are just supporting her dealer....When they have reached thirty there is little or nothing we can do to stop their activities...and the state don't care.they don't want to be responsible for their medical problems ....so they won't get into it....at least Idaho won't....Bless those who have tried...and bless you for understanding and loving in spite of it...do not let her manipulate you into paying for her drugs..the need is so strong. It is not them in there..it is a stranger and that stranger is under the influence of an evil..Sometimes you get a glimpse of the one you love...treasure those glimpses... Hugs Laurel
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