It's getting serious

[Chic 2k6]

Hi people, i need to get this out on here really.

I have an aunt called Karen, she's married to my mom's brother Nick and theyve got 2 great kids Max and Cody.

Mom and I are really worried about Karen because at family dinner today, her behaviour was really erratic like she was reciting letters like A, B, C, S, T, L, N and saying things like i have all these letters in my head etc... basically garbling random things. She wasnt herself which made me and mom think she's taken a drug, dunno what. She has dabbled in drugs in the past and does take cannibis sometimes.

She had a bad year with her Dad dying of cancer and is far away from her (Karen's in the UK, her dad is in US), Nick had a quadbike accident earlier this year, she's had to be sterilized cos of her condition, she's got Vertigo, Arthiritis, and got broken arm from a fall, she's been ill all year plus two boys to care for. Nick's is being run down cos his mechanic left the shop to go somewhere else so Nick has to do extra work to keep his business going.

I just feel that Karen's taking drugs to relieve her of stress or she's heading towards a nervous breakdown.

To top it off, Max (hes 8 ) came to me and wanted to talk to me in confidentiality, so i listened to him and what he said really upsetted me and broke my heart, he said:
"I really wish that Mom and Dad stop smoking, I've tried countless times to throw away their cigerettes and asked them to stop smoking because of its unhealthy. I'm getting really upset because they wont listen to me because I'm a kid and I dont want them to die of cancer

to hear that from an 8 y/o is heartbreaking, he's really intelligent and has a way with words, he's very streetwise and even ran away from someone who tried to abduct him. he knows the danger of smoking and wants them to stop.

Nick's got 2/3 mortages, lots of creditors after him, in tonnes of debt etc.. If I could, i would take in Max and Cody myself and give them the life they want.

Nick and Karen really do love their boys but they dont wanna give up smoking and stuff like that for their sake, me and mom talked to them to give up but they dont listen.


Thanks for letting me spill this out, it frustrates me so badly and i cant stop thinking of what Max says

 

[Beauty Mark]

There's not a lot you can do about the smoking, as long as it's just tobacco. You just have to tell your nephew that you know smoking is terrible, but you have to respect other people's decisions. If you think your aunt is doing drugs or engaging in otherwise illegal and really dangerous behaviors, I'd stage an intervention and check her into the hospital's mental ward.

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark If you think your aunt is doing drugs or engaging in otherwise illegal and really dangerous behaviors,

If you THINK? Thats a bit excessive dont you think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I'd stage an intervention and check her into the hospital's mental ward.

Are interventions ever the right answer? In this situation the poster above doesn't even know if the person involved is using any sort of substance. And pot, while illegal, is hardly something you need the stage an intervention over, especially if it wasn't even recent. Thats a huge jump to conclusions. Person A used pot at some point in their life, that person must be taking drugs again.

Maybe she was just under a lot of stress that night or had a bit of anexiety? Just because someone is acting a little different doesn't mean they are using any substances. It's such a typical response these days to automatically accuse (even if it's not directly to them) people of drug abuse the moment they act a little different. There are plenty of completely natural non drugrelated reasons that alter people's behaviors.

If it was typical behavior, then yes, addressing the issues by asking the person if they are having any problems or whatever might be in order. Thats the job of family and friends, to confront individuals at times and ASK them if they can help. But dragging them off to the mental ward? I'd call that a bix excessive. Especially considering this appears to be the first time she has acted differently.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I said if. Of course, she ought to check out the situation more. Pot, as far as drugs go, is the least harmful, but it isn't unheard of to get a bad addiction and let it destroy your life.

I'm sorry if it seemed like an overreaction, but we just got through with a family friend who ruined her family's credit (not drug-related, but it was mental illness) because no one wanted to do anything until it got ridiculously bad. People kept hoping it was phase or she'd snap out of it. The subject line, "It's getting serious" makes me think that this isn't the worst yet.

 

[Chic 2k6]

My mom just talked to my uncle and he said that she's been like this for a while now, so he's gonna take her to a counsellor and get her some help