When did my child first start doing drugs? Probably in year 5 or 6 at primary school. Did I know? No I did not. Was he hitting it hard, no, just the odd toke on a bong or a joint. One of the kids he hung out with had a mum who sold drugs. Did I know? No I did not.

When did he start taking Meth, first took it at 17 when he was still in high school.  The he moved onto Uni and living on campus with the other kids, studying, keeping up with the other kids. Did I know? No I did not.

He started failing Uni, crashing cars, an amazing amount of “bad luck” started surrounding him, his bad language amped up. Did I know it was because of Meth? No I did not.

For a smart woman, I didn’t know a lot did I? No I did not.

Here are some things to watch for, but seriously, by this stage it is a rollercoaster ride:

• Changes in mood.
• Not being able to sleep all night.
• Sleeping all day.
• Hoods over heads and dark sunglasses during the day and at night.
• Teeth problems.
• Disappearing for days at a time, because they know if they come home you will see what is happening, so they stay at friends places.
• Having the “flu” and sleeping for nearly two days running because of the “flu”.
• Big sleeps and binge eating heaps of food for a couple of days.
• Ticks or “tweaking” (comes at later stages).
• Sudden bursts of anger in someone who would have never been like this before.
• Things may mysteriously go missing at your place (this didn’t happen to me) but they need to fund the drugs.
• More than one phone, sometimes up to four phones, this is so they can sell and afford their habit.

Above is how I see things, but I’m not a doctor or a health professional or another user, just a mum.

A friends child, a beautiful gentle young man, just finished his degree at uni, he changed completely, was selling, was using, ended up having psychotic breaks, total mental breakdown, put into mental care, jailed, serving time. When I met him did I think this could ever happen? No I did not.

#notevenonce #stopmeth