Rock Bottom

It can relate to many struggles of life …. jobs, marriage, children and, of course, addiction. It’s a relative term. What one substance abuser calls rock bottom, another one might call just getting warmed up.

My son has been incarcerated several times for drug related charges. My husband and I nicknamed him Houdini, because many other times he seemed to slip slide his way out of charges. Maybe it’s also because the Colorado courts are overcrowded and they cannot begin to house all of the minimum to moderate risk offenders. 

I’d like to think his close calls would have left him appropriately fearful of being arrested and jailed again. But honestly, I don’t think they’ve been enough of a deterrent. This most recent test of fate landed another felony charge and at last, the Judge handed down an appropriate sentence.  As of today, he is still in transition from the Receiving and Diagnostic Center, still on 23 hour lockdown and can’t seem to get an answer as to when he will be processed to a permanent facility.  This maximum security situation is wearing thin, as was evident in his voice on the phone last night. I pray that he will take this time, behind bars, to do some serious soul-searching.

In prior conversations, he stated that he has finally reached rock bottom. Spending five weeks in a 23 hour lockdown would certainly do it for me….
Only time will tell. The recidivism rate is high if offenders don’t follow through with consistent aftercare.  I hope that this rock bottom is real.