Our son has relapsed (heroin). Do we continue to let him live at home? We’re afraid to turn him out for fear that it will be the final straw in his life.
What to do when an adult child relapses?
Ladnav
#2
We have struggled with that ourselves with our adult daughter. For us personally, we decided to allow her to stay living with us because even tho she relapsed( we’re told it’s a part of recovery process) she still continues going to her outpatient programs, doctors appointments and meetings. We have seen the struggle but again for us, if we didn’t see any progress or her trying to continue on in her recovery, I think we’d be asking her to leave. Such a tough spot to be in, my heart goes out to you as I understand. Best wishes.
Hi @MaryDMeyer. I’m sorry to hear you’re in this difficult situation. I’ve asked myself a similar question regarding my husband, who is a recovering heroin addict: Do I stay?
I’ve taken the same approach as @Ladnav - as long as he is working at his recovery, I will be there fighting and supporting alongside him. I set a limit for myself - I can’t live in the cycle of lies anymore. In the past, I have removed myself and my son from the situation by staying with my sister while I figure out my needs and limits. He got clean on his own during that time. He’s slipped a couple of times since then, but got right back on track. We are still together.
It’s a tough situation and never gets easier. Please just know that recovery is possible and there is always hope. Take the time to look at yourself and how the addiction is affecting your health, behaviors and daily life. Resources like Al-Anon and therapy really helped me in learning to set limits and understand the importance of my role in addiction and recovery. Sending love to you and your family. 
