From my own Personal Perspective and not yours!

This is an update from my last episode. My 16 year old son had been taken by ambulance to the emergency room because he jumped from a third story window to get out of the house to chase drugs. I asked that he is FD12’d to access his mental health and all of the hospital staff who had come in contact with him, knew that he was on drugs. No one assesses his drug usage (whether he would’ve denied it or not), no one addressed his mental health and they sent him home with Percocet and a 30day supply of needles to inject himself to prevent blood clots. I felt like they was preparing him to be comfortable using harder drugs where needles would not be an issue for him, and I felt like by them not knowing what drugs he was using already, whether or not the Percocet last could have contributed to an overdose. I just don’t get it. Listen to what is happening out here on the Nations Capitol. We still are dealing with his addiction and we are nowhere!

My son jumped out of my apartment 3rd story window, fractured his pelvis and no telling what else. I have been asking for help for his substance use problem in DC and my cry has been landing on death ears. I have been asking, begging for someone to help me save my son’s life and no response. They say “Let help in” I have been wide open and nothing came in to help per my request.

This episode is a continuation of my journey to seek help for my son who is 16 years old and dying from substance abuse. DC has no youth treatment facilities for substance use. No one is listening to my concerns which could be many mothers concerns who need help. The city crime rises as substance use mind altering episodes shows up as a mental disorder and people lives are adversely impacted by way of violent crimes being committed because for my son, they want him to be associated with the criminal justice system before they will help him with inpatient treatment for his substance use first. Therefore, due to mind altering substances, someone has to get robbed, beat up, hurt, raped etc. before they address impatient treatment for a youth in DC. Whhhyyyyy?

This episode encourages one to move on behalf of themselves when seeking help and advocating for them selves and/or family members. As hard as it may be to sometimes ask for help, when you do you get rejected, shamed and your situation is just spectated. You call folk out when you need help, and find out you may be alone in your journey, but keeping moving, dragging, crawling but be sure that you are continuously working for you. Everything else is extra and know that you will eventually end up with someone actually caring!

We need help as a family for my 16 year old who is using K2 viciously. The “System of Care” in DC in my opinion could care-less. Why my son has to be connected to the justice system, have an IEP or be truant before we can ask for help to “PIN” him. Substance abuse can affect anyone without having any other attachments. I won’t be able to “PIN” him via DC courts unless he is a young criminal, truant etc. he should not have to meet any criteria to receive help outside of “Self Harm”” Possible Death” and the fact that he cannot right now see a bright future for himself. I have reached out for help far and wide and there is nothing outside of acute in-patient care and that is merely really connected to mental health episodes for youth via the substance. They don’t even have K2 conversations because there is no treatment for it. My son is not in his right mind and they ask me “Is he open to receive treatment” Fuck no! He ain’t open, so he just gets to go and continue to kill himself, overdose and we wait for the knock on the door. Oh my God, I can’t take this, I just need help, we have called everywhere, what other resources do I have without being made to feel small, ashamed, or just another family with a young drug addict. “Mam, he ain’t the only one” well, he is my only 16 year old Damari, whom I love dearly and with all my heart. Other help I am scared to receive because of how they like to flip the script on you and play you in the blame game. My son is on drugs, I cannot get through to him. It is what it is, but I want to save my son no shame, and if it was, don’t care !#helpdamaridcandallyouth