Expert: Jacqui - 8/20/2008

Question
April 2nd 2008 my son was huffing dust off with a 16 yr old girl while driving.  He past out at the wheel the jeep went off the road missing a pedestrian on the bike path the jeep rolled 2 times ejecting both out of the jeep.  This last weekend (Aug. 16, 2008) he was with my 17 yr old nephew and they stole a prescription of Klonopin and both took at least 10 to 20 pills and were caught rifling through cars by the police(thank god) they were both so high they could not stand up, my nephew ends up ODing and my son in jail.  3 days later they just now are getting their heads cleared.  My son is doing alot of drugs and I have learned he is involved in many illegal activities.  My son has Pervasive developmental disorder, NOS.  He will do jail time but am concerned that when he gets out the problem will still be there with the drugs and illegal activities.  He needs treatment but how do i get him the help w/o him on board?

Answer
Hi Shellie,

Firstly I must apologise for not responding immediately.  I have returned from a vacation but forgot to change my settings to say that I was away.  Anyway, I am back and now answering questions again.

Your situation is tragic. With questions like these, I like to respond to each part.  To begin, I have a limited knowledge of childhood disorders, but what I do know suggests that you have had a very difficult time with your son, whom I am sure you love very much.  Are you linked in with case management, psychologist or psychiatrist who is assisting your son?  "Huffing dust" is a very rudimentary way of getting "out of it", and the substances involved are generally not meant to be consumed, unlike most other drugs which are made to be drugs, as opposed being made as solvents and cleaning fluids.  One of the most dangerous things about inhaling is that the substance is replacing oxygen and people are in danger of not getting enough oxygen in their bloodstream - and hence passing out.  He is very lucky to be alive after the accident and it is lucky that someone wasn't seriously injured.

Klonopin, or Clonazepam, is a drug used to treat epilepsy, and is in the class of benzodiazepines.   These drugs reduce seizures, but in large doses, also have an effect of affecting the frontal area of the brain meaning that people are disinhibited and likely to do things that are pretty stupid without considering the consequences.  I work in a health service for people who use drugs, and if I had a dollar for every time someone came in saying that they had been arrested while doing something stupid after taking these pills ... well I could probably retire!  

In answer to your last question "how do I get him the help without him on board" ... is very tricky ... actually it is almost impossible.  Case in point, the amount of drugs in prison, the death penalty for drugs in some countries, the possible consequences of people having their children removed for using drugs ... basically enforced treatment rarely works.  

It sounds that the kind of drug use that your son is engaging in is pretty over the top.  Drug use like this can be about youthful experimentation, or a desire to get chemically altered because of other issues.  Without knowing more about your son's disability, it is difficult to know what kind of treatment he would respond to.  I do, however, believe that putting a person like your son in jail is not going to improve his situation.  Prisons are horrible places for young men like your son, and especially given his disability.  

I would suggest that it is vital that you seek support from a clinician experienced in Pervasive Development disorders (if you don't have one already) and ask for a full psychiatric assessment prior to the court appearance.  I would suggest that, although what your son is doing is putting both himself and others at great risk, he may have a limited capacity to understand the consequences of his actions.  This would suggest that rather than prison, other options may be more appropriate.  

As far as drug treatment goes, for a person like your son, I would suggest that drug treatment on its own wouldn't be particularly helpful.  Rather, addressing his mental health problems would likely have the positive side effect of reducing his drug use, or at least reducing the harms associated with it.  

Finally, as I always say to parents who post questions to me, it is vital that you seek support for yourself and the rest of your family.  A child with problems as these can have a huge effect on the rest of the family, so some family counselling sessions (with or without your son) may be of benefit.  If he has brothers or sisters it will be really important that they get the support they need as they are probably feeling overwhelmed with what is going on.  You also need support and may find help in a parent support group or individual counselling.  There may be an organisation in your area that can provide assistance (if you let me know where you are, I can check on the 'net).

I am sorry that I cannot offer you a definitive answer.

Best of luck, and please let me know if there is anything else I can offer you.

Jacqui