This post was written anonymously and submitted to Blognonymous for publishing on this blog. Please feel free to leave your help and support should you wish, in comments below. Many thanks.
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Where do you start? I actually started my blog to write about what happened to us because there is nothing out there. But then, and even now, we were so ashamed of the crimes of the father that I did nothing and blogged about life instead. So here I am a few years later in the eye of another storm, a result of what happened earlier. If this blog seems all over the place it probably is because my brain is scrambled.
To the outsider I am a strong person. I’m an attractive woman with a good job and a nice house. I have got my two children through hell and held a family unit together. It’s not been easy and the road has been a hard one. My ex husband was arrested and found guilty; he showed absolutely no remorse and served an indeterminate sentence.
I have two children, a son and daughter. They have both struggled in their own ways. My daughter seems to be coming through it now and making head way. Self confidence is slowly being restored and a purpose to life regained. My son, who is 17, is a different matter. He has had so many offers of help from counselling to being engaged with more sporting activities to assist him with the stress. All fell on deaf ears. I haven’t got a problem he would insist. As of 4 weeks ago he no longer lives with us. 2011 became the year of hell with his moods swings and levels of violence increasing. He has become addicted to strong marijuana which he felt aided his low self esteem and depression. He has been stealing from me to support his habit once he lost his job. He has no respect for anyone including himself. To release stress he self harms. The abuse towards me has intensified over the past few months to an intolerable level. My health has suffered and I have been in tears on the way home from work worrying about what I will return to.
Pre Christmas he had what can only be described as a drugs psychosis and he scared the life out of me. I didn’t know if he was going to stab himself or me or just smash up the house. I was advised if he ever looked like he was going to do that level of damage to himself, me or the home then I had to ring the police. And that is what I had to do 4 weeks ago. Watching the police officers rush my son to the ground and cuff him will stay with me forever. He was a danger to himself and others as he threatened to slit his wrists. On examination in the cell, whilst superficial, his body was covered in cuts. A good friend was custody sergeant that day and I have a lot to thank him for. We are now on a domestic abuse register and my son spent a very confused week bumming a place to sleep form one friend to another. Fortunately one of my friends stepped in and gave him a place to sleep for a couple of nights and somewhere he listened to what she had to say.
Between us we managed to avoid him going into a hostel and got him some secure accommodation in a student halls even though he only just scrapes through on his age. I helped him move in and he has been home a couple of times for dinner. The first time nearly broke my heart when we took him back. He is a lost soul needing so much help. He hasn’t been to college once since he got a roof over his head, he has little money and hasn’t taken any of the help offered. Apparently he just wants to come home and make things right with me but fails to reply or make any contact even though I put credit on his phone. If he continues not to turn up to college then he will lost the support he has there and they have been absolutely fantastic. He’s tried one session of counselling last week and asked my sister to accompany him. She could tell that he was there because he felt he had to and the counsellor picked up on it too. We doubt he will go again.
When your children leave home I always felt it would be planned with a date in mind and a slow build up. The sense of loss would still be there but you would be there in the back ground helping them on to the next stage of their journey. This is so very different. Every time you think you have hit rock bottom we still fall even further. The worry this has caused me indescribable. This is my child and he’s in a terrible place, mentally. Tough love is hard to administer and I just hope it works! It is my worst nightmare. This is what I thought may happen when the “awful terrible” happened 4 years ago. I have lost a husband and now I have lost my son. I have no idea when this nightmare will end and the only positive is that my daughter and I can move around our home without being frightened and she is getting on with her life and complete her final her at school without being fearful. For that I am eternally grateful.
I cannot begin to describe the feelings of loss I have. After having no contact with his father I have written a letter to my mother in law who seems to be under the impression life is as it was always planned. A levels university and so on. It couldn’t be further from the truth for him. I live in hope that I have known of others who have fallen foul of drugs and depression and but eventually come through it. I don’t how long that will be and when I will see him again. I miss my son and want him back.
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Truly truly heartbreaking. As the mother of a 9 year old boy I cannot even begin to imagine the anguish and worry you must be going through.
I know when my mum and dad broke up and my mum eventually remarried my brother (who is 2 years younger than me) just couldn't handle it at the time. Shouted, raged, hated me for being OK, bad-mouthed to anyone who would listen.
No where near the scale of what you're going through as a family but boys just seem to struggle more with a crisis.
I have no words of wisdom other than to say, as a mother I hear you and keenly feel your pain x
I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through. Only by your powerful writing can I get anywhere close. I will think of you tonight, when I think of all my thoughts, and wishes and pray for you and your family.
My heart hurts for you. I hope you get your son back. I hope he finds his way home. x
This is so heartbreaking to read, having a three year old boy my heart breaks for you. It really does and I feel for you so much you can feel your pain through your words.
I don’t have any advice, but I can say that I have watched my best friend live this life with her brother. He has been through depression, drugs, and suicide watches since we were teenagers. It has taken a long time, but the last four or so years he really seems to have turned a corner. The drugs are gone, the depression is under control and he is the person we all knew years and years ago and he is happy so I can only pray that the same happens to your son.
All my love xx
OMG how terrible, But you haven't lost him and you mustn't let him think that either. 17 is still very young, and if his mother gives up on him, there's nothing left for him.
I have two teens (18 and 16) and can't bear to even imagine what you're going through. He will come out the other end and it will be because he knows you and his sister still love him and want the best for him.
I was wondering, since he's still technically a minor, can't you have him put into some kind of rehab place?
This post is just heartbreaking and I just cannot imagine how bereft you must feel. I'm afraid I have no words of wisdom and only hope that writing has helped in some small way.
Thanks for your kinds words. Its going to be a long way back and I get a lot of comfort from the small steps he has made. Even just saying thank you means a lot right now