Venting about Parents in Denial...Advice Anyone?

[[Sl...]]

Last weekend my son, who is away at university, spent the night in the ER with a friend who had overdosed on drugs. He called me very early in the morning, asking for the friend's home phone number and I asked him some questions. The friend is from our area and the two have known each other for at least 12 years. He told my son that the overdose was not a suicide attempt; he is a cutter and that is his method of choice for suicide. The ER team got him stabilized and ordered a psych eval.

 

I am now finding out that the parents are angry with my son for taking their child to the ER...basically they consider it a family matter. I told my son that he did the right thing; he said he knows that he did. We also talked about how the parent's response is probably one of the least helpful things that they could have done for their son. To me it is seems that the parents are aware of their son's problems, yet not dealing with them.

 

When will we get rid of the stigma of mental health issues? I'm very concerned about the son getting the help and support he needs from both professionals and his family. To direct anger towards my son for doing the right thing is maddening. On top of that, this is the third time that he has had to deal with serious situations involving friends who were/are cutters and in each case, the adults in charge badly handled the situation.

 

Right now, I would like to contact the parents urging them to get their heads out of the sand and find him the help he needs so that the worst thing, suicide, never happens.

[[Sa...]]

It seems, as in many situations like this, the parents feel like mental issues are a weakness or something you can just push down and it will go away (VERY stupid stigmas). I would definitely call his parents or look up a really good therapist for your son's friend and give him the number because his parents may not even help him at all. Either way suicide is something no one should ever take lightly. If you have to let your son's friend know that you are there to listen or help your son to understand how to better help his friend, whether it's just letting the guy vent or knowing what serious signs to watch out for. Good luck!

[[of...]]

I think the thing you want to avoid is your son's friend losing your son as an advocate.

 

Your son is an amazing person,  the world is a better place because of him