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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DS16 came home drunk at 5am

344 replies

Worriedsick89 · 22/07/2025 16:32

Sorry this is a ramble and probably makes no sense but I’ve had no sleep and I’m honestly shaken up. Just don’t know what to do anymore. Posting for traffic.

DS is 16. Went out last night around 8pm, said he was going to play football with a couple mates down the park. He doesn’t go out loads so I thought ok fine, bit of fresh air. Said he’d be back by 10ish.

By 11 I’m calling him – nothing. Texted – ignored. Called again about 12:30 – phone off. Kept checking out the front window like a mad woman. DP’s working away til the end of the week and he’s not even DS’s dad anyway, they don’t get on at all, DS won’t even be in the same room as him half the time. So I was on my own stressing all night. He doesn't live with us anyway.

I was this close to ringing 101 around 4:30am. Then just after 5 the front door opened and he staggered in.

He was out of it. I’ve never seen him like that. Completely gone – slurring, eyes weird, laughing at nothing, barely able to walk. He reeked of vodka and something else I couldn’t even place. Couldn’t focus on anything I was saying. He just kept going “I’m fine” then nearly falling over. I had to practically drag him upstairs, he could barely get his shoes off.

He’s been in bed all day. It’s nearly 5pm now. He’s got up a few times to throw up, looks pale as anything, sweaty, shaky, not really with it. He keeps saying he’s ok but he’s not. Not like any hangover I’ve ever seen.

As far as I know he’s never taken drugs before. Might’ve had a few drinks here and there but he’s never come home like this.

Bit of background – he’s been difficult for a long time. Got booted out of school in year 10 after refusing to go in for weeks. Was meant to do home ed but that was a total waste of time, he just refused point blank. Tried him at one of those 14+ colleges that takes early leavers, thought maybe something more hands-on would help – lasted about 3 or 4 weeks then got kicked out again for not turning up and mouthing off.

Now he’s at home 24/7. Sleeps all day, up all night online. He’s obsessed with his phone, I’ve caught him watching proper nasty porn – not just normal stuff, like violent. I blocked the adult stuff on the WiFi and he exploded. Screaming at me, throwing stuff, called me a perv, smashed his controller. Didn’t speak to me properly for days. But he found a way round it anyway, hotspotting off his phone. I just can’t keep up.

He’s angry all the time. Slams doors, shouts in my face, gets right up close like he wants to intimidate me. Punched a hole in his wardrobe.

Doesn’t have any real friends anymore, just people on Snapchat and Discord. Always hiding his phone, I don’t know who half of them are. Sleeps odd hours, eats junk, and just sort of floats through the days.

I’ve tried getting help – rang the GP last year, but he refused to go in. Tried CAMHS, he told them to piss off on the phone and hung up. Youth support won’t deal with him unless he asks for it, and he just won’t.

I’m properly starting to worry about his mental health. There’s been signs for a while but no one wants to listen unless he’s the one asking for help, and he won’t.

But this morning… this was something else. I’ve never seen him like that. He looked… like someone I didn’t know. And now today he’s still sick, still not with it. I’m honestly scared.

Would IBU to try take him to A&E?? I don’t even know if they’d do anything. And he’ll probably go mad if I try and drag him there. But what if I don’t and it gets worse?

OP posts:
Jeezitneverends · 23/07/2025 07:04

exhaustionfollowsme · 23/07/2025 05:40

If he can’t keep water down, he needs to go to A&E

Going by your username I think your exhaustion has caught up with you! Op took the lad to A&E and it looks like he’s still quite unwell-due to the potential that he’s taken more than alcohol, but he’s resisting tests.

OP sorry you’re in this position-I’ve no useful advice to offer but wonder if the way forward might be more empathy than coming down on him like a ton of bricks. Does he have any positive male role models in life? Uncles, granddads? It’s a common theme in single parent families with sons, where their dad lets them down, the absence of any male role models doesn’t help them growing up

Pancakeflipper · 23/07/2025 07:17

Hoping things have calmed down for you and he's managed to get a bit of sleep.

Upcyled · 23/07/2025 08:03

The comment about the hot male doctor may be an indicator of what's going on for him. Is he gay? Struggling with those feelings? Has he met someone online that he met up with? Has he been taken advantage of? Bless him I hope he's feeling a bit better this morning and that you managed to get some rest.

Peclet · 23/07/2025 08:15

While he’s been resting have you been able to get in his phone?

Insist on the MH team making contact. Be as forceful as you can and insist upon it.

Can anyone come in today with some food/clean clothes for you?

Mischance · 23/07/2025 08:17

Is it possible to test for drugs via a urine sample? This is less invasive than a blood test and it could be done on the excuse that they are checking his hydration.

Oneeyedonkey · 23/07/2025 08:19

exhaustionfollowsme · 23/07/2025 05:40

If he can’t keep water down, he needs to go to A&E

FFS catch up will you

Oneeyedonkey · 23/07/2025 08:20

Mischance · 22/07/2025 22:59

What an unpleasant complacent post. Shame on you.

FFS catch up will you

Hedgedone · 23/07/2025 08:23

No advice but I can only imagine the stress and worry for you.
It does sound like he took something.
So scary.
I think be frank with the staff how worried you are.

legosnowqueen · 23/07/2025 08:25

I hope your DS is much better today & that you can access some support going forward.

Shenmen · 23/07/2025 08:27

RedSeven · 22/07/2025 17:49

Yes this!! As an adult they last 2 days!

pale, sick, shakes, tired are all signs of a hairy hangover and nothing more.

I have never been sick the morning after, only at the end of a night. I am a bugger for having one too many. There is little OP can do if he won't go to seek medical help.

OP this is your chance to lay down the law. When he is better I would give him a month to get a job (or at least actively look for one, it's tough out there). And let him know in one month he you will no longer pay for his phone, or WiFi or make food for him.

Tell.him if he is violent even once to you, he will have to live somewhere else.

And stick to it.

Tell him with someone else (not your partner ) but is there another family member he respects. A grandparent, aunt, older cousin, uncle, family friend. Who will back you up and act as a mediator? If so get them to come.

Was he father abusive? In which case that needs to be acknowledged as possibly the cause to his behaviour.

Good luck. If you don't stop it now it will get worse.

HerdMentality · 23/07/2025 08:28

Nothing meaningful to contribute but really feel for you. It sounds incredibly hard. Wishing the best for you and your son. Look after yourself.

BreezyPeachGoose · 23/07/2025 08:34

"He needs sitting down and having a serious talking too."

He needs sitting down and having a serious listening too.

Worriedsick89 · 23/07/2025 09:01

He’s still being monitored but no vomiting since last night. His heart rate’s dipped a bit - it’s sitting around 115 now, so still high, but not as bad as it was. They’ve said he can probably go home later today but want someone from CAMHS to come speak to him first. Not sure what time that’ll be - they just said sometime this morning.

He’s been mostly quiet since the last update. Slept for a good few hours - I did too, surprisingly. When he’s awake he’s either been staring at the wall or fidgeting with the wristband they’ve put on him.

He seems a bit more like him this morning - but not in a good way. He just keeps saying he wants to go home, he’s tired, he wants to sleep, and then shouting at me when I tell him we can’t yet. Still refusing the bloods even when I said it’d make it all go quicker. I managed to calm him down a bit but then he was just sitting there telling me how much he hates me, how I’ve ruined his life etc.

At one point he got up, was pacing around, showed me a scratch on his arm (honestly looks like it could’ve been from anything) and said he was going to go and tell the nurses I did it to him. I just didn’t react. Sat there and said nothing, and eventually he sat back down again. I’m just so tired of the games. I don’t even know if it is a game anymore or if something’s really not right in his head.

I haven’t seen him on his phone once. I don’t think he brought it with him. Part of me’s relieved, but part of me really wants to look through it - see who he’s talking to, what’s going on behind my back. But there’s no way he’d let that happen. It’s a PAYG phone he’s got glued to him at home and he’s locked it down with passcodes and facial recognition and whatever else. I’m the enemy if I so much as touch it.

I’ve messaged his dad to keep him in the loop. He’s at a loss too. Lives maybe 1.5-2 hours away. Doesn’t know whether to come down or not because DS will definitely refuse to see him. He tried to make an effort on his birthday earlier this year - came down, gave him a card with money in it and a present. DS ripped the card up in front of him and shoved the present in a drawer without opening it (he kept the money though). Just kept saying “get out” and “I don’t want to see you.”

His dad didn’t do anything awful - I know if I say more now people will flame me for the big dripfeed, and it is a big dripfeed - but honestly I didn’t bring it up earlier because I knew it would take over the thread and I really needed advice about what was going on right now. He’s not a bad man. They just don’t have a relationship anymore and I’ve stopped pushing it. I don’t have the energy to fight with both of them.

Someone asked about a urine test instead of bloods - they haven’t mentioned that as an option. I could try asking but honestly I don’t think he’d agree to that either. I think he just wants out of here now and anything that delays that, he’s going to refuse.

I’ll try and update again after CAMHS have been. I don’t know what to expect from it. Part of me’s hoping it’ll be the start of some proper help. Part of me’s bracing for him to tell them to F off too.

OP posts:
shellyleppard · 23/07/2025 09:05

@Worriedsick89 glad he's a little better this y. It's been a long night for you. Could you speak to the camhs team and see if there is anything you can do? Sending hugs 🫂 💐 🙏 ❤️

Kibble19 · 23/07/2025 09:06

Pfft, he’ll tell the staff you scratched him? I’m sure people will rush to paint him as a victim here because “he’s obviously troubled”, but that’s not on.

Honestly, maybe he should tell them. They’ll alert SW and/or the police. Then when people are talking about taking him out of his home for his safety and his lies are exposed, he’ll learn something.

youhavenoidea6 · 23/07/2025 09:07

Upcyled · 23/07/2025 08:03

The comment about the hot male doctor may be an indicator of what's going on for him. Is he gay? Struggling with those feelings? Has he met someone online that he met up with? Has he been taken advantage of? Bless him I hope he's feeling a bit better this morning and that you managed to get some rest.

This stood out to me too. Is he out to you as gay/bi? I'm wondering if he met up with a man for (chem)sex.

Buzyizzy217 · 23/07/2025 09:11

If his dad comes down, it’ll be more support for you tho, so I’d ask him to come. He needs to see the CAMHS too.

Moveoverdarlin · 23/07/2025 09:25

Was he trying to tell you he is gay with the hot male doctor comment? Did you know that? Is that the crux of the problems?

twoleggedpirate · 23/07/2025 09:34

Hi this post has really resonated with me and I am so sorry for you both. I work in the field of mental health and young people. As you have seen it is so difficult to get help for your son if he refuses help. It is hard because he is 17 and almost an adult. There has been some great advice on this thread re different websites and I would make use of helpline support for yourself as they may have some ideas more local to your area. Your son sounds scared to me. Obviously I couldn’t know why but the doctor comment could suggest he is struggling with his sexuality in some way. You need to build trust with him. Whilst I completely understand why worried you are, he must know he needs help. Otherwise he could have run out the hospital for example. I wouldn’t come down on him like a ton of bricks just yet. In a day or so perhaps if he won’t talk you could write him a letter saying you are worried and if he didn’t want to tell you what’s been going on would he consider telling someone else. If say he’s taken drugs he might be terrified of getting into trouble with the police or something. Ideally getting him to the GP and a referral to CAHMS would be the ultimate goal. You could also say I won’t have partner to house anymore if he hates him but trying to uncover the source of his anger feels important. I totally get what you said in a previous post. Most people I see who are angry are actually scared little children underneath it all. Trying to connect to that would be good. This may take some time. I woild go to your GP anyway alone and ask if there is anything else they would suggest. Sorry this is long and not particularly helpful but hope you both get home today. Push for CAHMS to speak to him today if possible.

Mischance · 23/07/2025 09:44

The best news here is that they are hoping to get him to stay till he has seen someone from CAHMS. Do not worry that he will swear at them - they truly are used to this. This admission might be a foot in the door to some help, so grab everything you can while you are there.

VintageDiamondGirl · 23/07/2025 09:45

You haven't failed as a parent, OP. My son went off the rails a bit at about the same age when me and his father separated. He came out of it (got far too drunk one night and scared himself, and me!). He is now a very hard working and healthy nearly 21 year old.

Your love for him really comes through in your posts. I hope you can both get some more rest now and that things settle down.

bluecurtains14 · 23/07/2025 09:48

DoraSpenlow · 22/07/2025 22:49

She isn't.

Ah yes sorry I see that now

I'll rephrase

Why are you in a relationship with a man your DS hates and allowing such a person to stay over @Worriedsick89 ?

VintageDiamondGirl · 23/07/2025 09:49

Oneeyedonkey · 22/07/2025 20:57

But what are they doing for him????
No anti emetics. No fluids.
Just a noisy emergency department.
Waste of resources.

Of course you know better than the experts.

WorkCleanRepeat · 23/07/2025 10:02

Geesgirl · 22/07/2025 20:54

My just 18 year announced she's pregnant yesterday.

Wish I was you.

I'd much rather deal with a pregnant 18 year old than OP's current situation.

Buzyizzy217 · 23/07/2025 10:02

Firstly you don’t know when he stopped drinking, secondly this is quite obviously much more than a hangover and thirdly having known a teenager who passed away because of mixing alcohol and drugs, the OP was not overreacting. 😡

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