How Do I Get My Son Help for His Addiction ... He's in FL, I'm in MS?

by Karen M.
(Southaven, MS)

My son is 24 years old and addicted to oxycontin and has been for years. He is stealing from everyone he knows, he has lost all his friends. A couple of years ago his father was dying of cancer and my son was taking his pain medication, knowing how much pain his father would be in without it.

I live in Mississippi and he lives in Florida. I cant afford to go down there and even if I could I don't know how to go about getting him help. We don't have the money for a rehab center. Are there places to help him that don't charge or charge very little? What do I do first? Anyone in Florida that can steer me in the right direction, I would so appreciate the help.

Answer

Hi Karen

Getting your son into a drug rehab center is most definitely a good idea if he's going to overcome his addiction.

Not all treatment centers cost a lot of money, many are partially or totally government subsidized. Use this substance abuse facility locator provided by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) by clicking here. It will allow you to conduct an appropriate search using payment ability as one of your criteria. Also make sure you click on the 'substance abuse treatment' and 'residential long-term treatment' boxes because they will be best I think.

I just hope your son is ready to receive help and treatment for his addiction - because if he isn't, you need to understand that there isn't a lot you can do to help him. Until he's ready to admit to his problem and wants to get help, nothing you try or do is likely to make much difference. That's just one of the sad realities of dealing with someone we love fighting with an addiction.

I hope your son is however ready to get help because if he is there are a lot of treatment centers that can help him get started on the road to a new life. How far he gets however is totally up to him and depends on the work and effort he's prepared to put into building a new life in recovery for himself.

God Bless and Take Care.