I’m sharing this for my son. The fourth of my children.
He was so happy, athletic, popular, everything you could ask for in a child. He was diagnosed with Epilepsy at the end of freshmen year in high school. He gave up playing football and started dabbling in marijuana. He continued to do pretty good in school and was accepted to a private college. He continued the marijuana and started to add hallucinogenic drugs. He made it one quarter and had a psychotic breakdown.
It’s been a long journey, but two years ago he left our home and chose to be homeless. In terms of background, a few years ago he was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. He did not want to take medication that is proven to help, instead choosing to continue to self-medicate with Marijuana. Two months ago, a kind police officer found him and called me. After a 5150 and 5250 hold, my son is accepting treatment in a private facility. (Editor’s Note: 5150 and 5250 reference sections of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which allows an adult who is experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained.)
It’s going to be a long road, but our family is hopeful for his recovery. He has a sponsor and is working his steps. Today is a good day.
