DS self medicating with weed

[notaflyingmonkey]

DS is 19 and has autism and is bi-polar. He has been manic for around a month now. He self medicates with weed, which must have an effect on his prescribed meds, but he refuses to stop. I hate it. I hate the effect it has on him, and I hate it when he is manic. I know I shouldn't say that about my own son, but I struggle to be around him when he is like this. Even in lockdown he refuses to stay in the house and goes off to find people to smoke with.

I have begged for help from all directions, but I just get told that unless he wants to stop, then there is nothing that can be done.

He is paranoid and I'm frightened that we haven't even hit rock bottom yet. It is a living hell.

God I feel for you. A close relative did the same...had psychotic episodes which were exacerbated by weed but was convinced the weed helped him.

But this was without the added complication of autism. My relation did accept eventually that the weed was making him worse but he was in his 40s by then.

Do you have a partner and other kids or is it only you and DS?

Makes me angry when people talk about legalising weed like what's the harm. My brother is the same except he didn't have issues prior to becoming hooked on it. Smokes every day and now has psychotic episodes and bad paranoia. It's horrible.

I'm sorry you're going through it with your ds. Do you have any support at home or is it just you and him? Maybe there is a drug charity that can at offer some kind of support for you as the family member of a drug user. I don't know what else to suggest. Is he working or does he get money from you? Is he ever aggressive to you? Sorry if I am being rude by asking. I'm just thinking back to how things were with my brother and he wasn't always a safe person for us to be around sadly.

It's a hideous drug. It's underestimated. I know that it can help some people with physical pain but aside from that, it's not something that should be used freely.

Thank you everyone for your sympathetic replies. You have no idea how much I needed them.

He is 19. I have a DH and DD(22) at home, but I have sent her to live with her boyfriend for the duration as our home is truly a horrible place to live.

He is reliant on us for money - and we haven't given him any. But I have been here with him previously where he just racks up debts to dealers which I will have to pay off at some point.

The last few days has seen an escalation of his aggression, he has mostly been punching holes in his bedroom walls, but has also squared up to us a few times.

Everyday for the last week I have phoned mental health services and begged them for help.