I guess it depends on the job and the drug. But true addicts almost always slip up.

My son is in AA. he works from 8 am to 10 pm with his commute. He goes to meetings on his two days off, and one day, he gets out "early" and pays a lot of money for a cab to get him to his late meeting. He was also going to the 6:30 am meetings, jogging home,(two miles) cleaning up and walking to the train to go to work, but it got too exhasting with his schedule. He does not have a car. He would go if he felt he was losing it. He speaks with his sponsor often...even if it is just to check in. He is sober 2 years 8 months on the 8th.
He listens to speakers on line and reads daily, and has two sponcees. He speaks at some meetings too. Not too much of a social life right now, but goes out after meetings one or two days a week...sometimes a bunch of friends go into clubs in the city together. And he feels he is not going to meetings often enough. He does not like meetings, but he likes progress. When he gets a car this winter, after he is off probation for his last dui, then he can go to more meetings. He wants to go 5 times a week- he says he is still early into his recovery.
so yes, I would say you can always fit treatment into your life if you want to badly enough.
I hope you son's new job makes him see the possibilities in his life if he decides to get sober. I think he must be very smart, and pursuasive. Living on his own may be an eye opener for him too. I hope so. It takes a while to get used to not seeing the addict all the time and knowing what they are up to....control issues! But, like my momma always said-"bad news travels fast"...so just count on the fact that he is learning and growing, and if he has a crisis you will hear about it. In the meantime, take care of yourself and try to find peace.

I would have preferred my person had a job when she tried IOP. I think the unsupervised time alone gives an addict too much time to think and too much temptation. I know they can always use, but I think it could actually be a good thing to be busy.

My husband is the perfect example of a functioning addict. He works, he comes home, he even helps around the house and with the kids...when he is high....when he is not....he isolates himself. He always finds a way to get his pills so he can go to work though. Admittedly, if it weren't for me, he would definitely not be able to "function".

As far as a functioning addict. Oh, yeah, they exist. My ex is great at his job. Number one performer. He cleans windows and on Friday that work a half day and then he goes and gets high and has Saturday to recuperate. He's been doing for years. As far as doing IOP and working. Yes, definitely. And why do you relently tell him he's going to lose the job. Addicts already have low self-esteem and hate themselves and having a parent remind them how they are screwing up does not help. Yes, have him find somewhere else to live, but reminding him he's a mess...I hate that when parents do that. I have never told my children they are messing up. And my daughter is using prescription pain pills and living with an addict. I tell her my fears for her and remind her what a good, wonderful person she is. My ex was constantly told by his mother that he'd never amount to anything and darn, he proved her right. He had the most success at periodic recovery once I came into his life. Go to some Alanon meetings and/or open AA meetings and find out what you are really dealing with.

How old is your son. If he is in his twenties he is at the partying stage. He is not addicted in the sense of chronic addict. That come later so he is a functioning person who get high on the weekends. Many young people do stop all on their own they grow up, get jobs, have families and decide the drinking or partying isn't what they want anymore.

Thank you so much for your extraordinary stories and words of wisdom however It is disturbing when a blanket commento is made when you have no idea of the support, love and nurturing that has surrounded the loved one, or the countless meetings you have sat through, the research and reaching out to others all to have a better understanding. Explaining the consequences of someone's actions addict or not does not mean you do not love them. Thank you all for your support.

Sorry, misunderstood your comment that he's going to lose the job. I just get really angry at all the parents I see who have contributed to their childrens' problems. I had 3 step-daughters. Grandma was raising them much like she raised my ex. Telling them they would never amount to anything and handing them over to child services when she couldn't get money out of them anymore. The youngest took all this to heart (grandma continually said she was just like her dad) And she wanted to be just like dad. Well, she died at the age of 19 of a crack overdose. This disease is killing people. And I am very angry about that. I have dealt with this disease for 36 years. And I've made mistakes. And I've learned things the hard way. And have sat in the rooms of AA and Alanon since 1980. And even went to rehab myself when my drinking got out of hand. But when someone you love dies at 19, you take a hard look at things. I become VERY radical over this subject.

I understand feeling radical, because I share your sentiments, so much that i have take a personal stance against how OxyContin is being distributed so freely and I am so sorry for your lose. I know how emotional this is for us all especially since we are all here, but as a parent when you have devoted your life to your children believing you are arming them with the education, tools and self confidence to be the change that they want to happen, it devastates you to your core. I respect your passion and I thank you for you acknowledgment.