There she got into drugs to block out the pain. And because Crystal Meth was the cheapest she used that heavily with her friends. She inhaled it and injected. To get more of the drug she began selling it.
I would often go downtown to see her on the streets. It gave me peace just to see she was alive. I would often see her in Bastion Square or sleeping in an alley. I would ask if she wanted to eat or drink, then I would take her and her friends to a McDonald nearby. I felt helpless. I did not know where to turn for help. Every morning I would be phoning some helping professional to receive advice, (more to ease my mind).
A number of times my daughter landed up at Victoria General Hospital because she overdosed and fell into psychosis. Once I received a called at 5 am in the morning by a policewoman saying my daughter was found behind the Metropolitan Church in deep psychosis, crying and screaming. The neighbours had heard and called the police. She told me I would not want to see her in that state. The cops were going to take her to the hospital. Many times I lay down to sleep at night I wondered if I was going to get a call from the police or emergency.
Incidentally, during this time I joined Parents Together to understand more on what was going on. I regularly attend weekly meetings. Through recommendation from this group we hired a counselling service.
The biggest break came when she committed two crimes. Once, she and a friend handed in a $100 cheque to Money Mart, made out to her friend and with my forged signature. One of the Money Mart salesgirl called me to know if the signature was mine. I told the young woman to call the police.
The other crime she committed was when she went to the Body Shop and stole some make up. She left and returned to the store to pick up her backpack which she had forgotten. Then she was caught.
Finally, my child was receiving help. It seems if you commit a crime you receive more help. I mentioned that to the probation officer and she said she has had other parents say that too. My teenager was put on probation and told to follow rules. My daughter found rules too difficult to follow. She would not reside where she was told to.
And because of her addiction she would always end up in the streets. We had monthly meetings with the probation officer leading them and still do with professionals who are in direct contact with my daughter such as psychologist and psychiatrist.
The probation officer offered my daughter a treatment program but she was not interested. So every time my daughter breached her conditions there would be a warrant out for her arrest. When she was picked up which usually took a number of days she was found heavily drugged. She would go to court and the judge would put her in custody and then she would be released again.
At this time my daughter was receiving weekly counselling from the psychologist. There seemed to be little progress because she kept repeating the pattern. Then the group decided on the step up program, when every time she breached she was picked up faster she had to do more time in custody. Finally, the plan worked. My daughter got tired of going to custody and decided to go for treatment instead.
From this experience I have learnt never give up on your child, always be there, even if your child does not want you to be. And do not care if you are intrusion when you call workers. It is your child. The workers will take more notice.
Lastly, it helps if your young one commits a crime.
