My son aged 36 is an addict and was out of control using any drugs he could get, plus one litre or more of alcohol per day. He was still managing to run his business.
Prior to contacting PROPS, I felt lost, worried and didn’t know how best to support him. My son did not live with me, so I found it really difficult to talk to him about all of this.
NTaR, the treatment service in Newcastle and my GP both suggested that I should contact the PROPS service, so I had no reservations about getting in touch.
When I made the first call the worker was really helpful and supportive. I had plenty of time to explain the problem in detail, including my son’s issues and my own in relation to this.
Following a face to face assessment I was very quickly registered for the CRAFT group course. I was amazed at how this works. So open, honest, informative, with support from others in similar situations as well as the course leader. I learned so much and I thought of it as a training programme. Not just about addiction in relation to my son’s problems, (the physiology, impact on behaviours and how to manage these – mine and his) but also methods of supporting the rest of the family and involving them appropriately in his long road to recovery. I also learned how important it is to protect myself.
I know that PROPS will always support me and not just when there is a crisis. My other sons have a better understanding of addiction now and are trying to use strategies I have passed on, having learned them during the CRAFT course.
I still worry a lot even though my son is doing okay. I am still attending the group drop in which is extremely helpful and there are always suggestions that I can put into practice to help me address those worries and therefore help my sons and myself. One of the most important things is that my son knows about my involvement with PROPS and this is helping him to slowly face and deal with his addictions.