Drug Effects: helping parents of drug using children

Jost Sauer draws on his extensive expertise in traditional Chinese medicine and his own experiences as a former user, to help users and parents of users to create happy, healthy, passionate lifestyles.

Jost presents readers with a powerful, practical, step-by-step recovery regime and a wealth of case studies, which deal with a whole range of drug issues.

Written for drug users and their families, Drug Repair that Works encourages users to build on their drug past, rather than bury it, to reclaim their health, happiness and natural, creative highs.




In Drug Repair that Works Jost explains his philosophy and approach including:

• why drug experiences aren't wasted


• what's really going on in psychotic episodes


• how to handle the post drug emotional roller coaster


• why raw foods hinder recovery


• what forms of exercise work


• why eating regimes need to be tailored to the individual


• how to achieve natural highs

These principles flow from the work and writings of Jost Sauer.

They represent my best interpretation of what Jost is proposing. I explain each principle in turn.

The journey through drugs is not an isolated experience of the drug user. Parents of drug using children are automatically caught up in the experience. The way they react and support the child, will have a significant influence on managing drug effects and the outcomes achieved by the drug using child.

The challenge for us as parents is to develop creative and exciting lives for ourselves rather than repair the life of our child because that is beyond our control.

Families need to deal with a child's drug use as a unit or they will implode.

Where is the support for families and parents of drug using children?

As parents, we are so used to fixing things or making them right for our children - we repair the bike, bandage the damaged knee, take them to the doctor, nurture and nurse them.

The reality with children who use drugs is that we as parents can't fix it. It is outside our control. Non-drug-user have no idea what drug users are going through or what post-drug lows involve.

We have to learn to find the right support space and to let go. The real challenge in this principle is to overcome our natural parental tendency to protect. However, the real danger with children who use drugs is that our protective urge will frustrate their attempts to find themselves through their drug induced maze.


Image by fdecomite on Flickr

The youth of today often cannot relate to our materialistic society - they feel disengaged from school, work and community. They are frightened by our world of terrorism, global warming and, more recently, global economic crisis.

Drug taking is an exploration of an alternative world that promises more - greater excitement, highs, creativity - it opens doors to another plane of existence. Unfortunately, it brings with it huge costs in terms of health and family.

Children who use drugs are exploring themselves and their capability. They are trying to find who they are in this alien world.

For many, drug taking is the rite-of-passage from childhood to adulthood.

Image by fdecomite on Flickr

There are many moments when all you can see is
a downward spiral - your child deteriorating rapidly
and placing themselves in situations of high risk
to their health and welfare.

Despite the darkest moments, there are good
outcomes that can be achieved. A parent of a drug
using child has to hang onto this principle and build
their hope for a brighter future.

Even the drug induced psychosis of your child can
bring new insights not just for your child but also
yourself as parents.

The difficulty is helping your child work through the
"disordered and anarchic" state that drug induced
psychosis brings.

Jost Sauer views psychosis this way:
Psychosis can be a gift as it enables us to
consciously access the subconscious. The thoughts
or actions that emerge are significant. Basically our
delusions or obsessions can be a powerful diagnostic
tool, as what surfaces in delusional states is not
totally random. It holds a wealth of information
about the person.
Drug Repair That Works by Jost Sauer, p.193

Image by fdecomite on Flickr : Apophysis-080523-4

It was so much easier (despite anxious moments)
when my children were learning to walk. I could
keep them away from dangerous objects or places
that could cause them to fall.

Now as they explore adulthood, I am not able
to "control" them or their environment. They need
to find their own way from adolescence to adulthood.

Some children take the straight and narrow path,
others take the detour via drugs in their quest for
self-knowledge and mastery of their seemingly
alien world. Drugs have become the rite-of-passage
to adulthood for many teenagers.

It's almost as if some have to enter the dark side
of life to discover the light. It is a deeper journey
than the often superficial journey that many people
take in conforming to society's norms and materialistic
values.

What can be achieved is insight into their own place
in the world. They learn that they do not have to
subsume their real selves by conforming to what
others often do by rote. It is a painful journey for
all, including the parents of drug using children.
However, the outcome can be a highly creative person
who has found their place in the world and discovered
how they can contribute to a better society.

Image by fdecomite on Flickr : again