Addiction - A Crusade to help others

I have a son.  I love my son.  Some of you know what he is going through.  Perhaps some of you know what *I* go through as well.

I miss my son.  I want my son back.  I don't know if that will ever happen.  I don't know if he will ever fully come back.  What I DO know - despite what the criminal "justice" system says (and hopefully some of you recognize why I put justice in quotes) - is that punishing someone for being an addict DOES NOT WORK.  It will NEVER work.  I am going to post a link to an article that is well written and thoughtful.  And while I am not trying to simply dismiss out of hand those for whom being incarcerated helps in these situations - I am telling you from the perspective of a mom, and a fellow human being that this is not working, it's not helping and I dare say, it makes things worse.

"The Case of Cameron Douglas" Time Magazine

Another article talks about how prisons are simply abandoning treatment for inmates who suffer from this DISEASE ("The Case for Treating Drug Addicts in Prison"  - The Daily Beast).  This is not the case in my son's situation - however - I feel people are unique and what works for one, does not necessarily work for another.  I also realise the 'system' is over-burdened and that we worry more about buying the latest stealth bomber than helping people in need in this country. Yet, we end up spending MORE money when we do not treat addiction and it is a known fact that you can get drugs in prison.   

Try as I may, it is very difficult for me to separate how I FEEL from the cold, hard, scientific facts of addiction.  However, I believe that science would bear me out that prison is not where anyone who is suffering from the mental illness of addiction, should be.  But hey, we just don't have the money to help with things like this. Oh and hey, that insurance policy you are paying for?  Well we're sorry - we don't cover in-patient treatment - but if you have $35,000.00 we can help.  And after all, these people are the dregs of society, throw-away people.  Yet some of the world's greatest writers, musicians and artists of all time were also addicts. Go figure. 

I would not wish this suffering on my worst enemy.  Every day my heart is heavy, every day I cry a little, every day I look for some spark of hope and try to keep one going in him, but every day, that gets harder and harder.

I really want my son back.