Year 2

After this last hospitalization our son receives a dual diagnosis, autism and schizo-affective disorder. He does not agree with this but it seems to be the most accurate assessment we can come up with. Communication with the rest of the family is strained, we get only fractional information and no offers to be included. As his birthday approaches in the fall, I text him to ask how, if at all, he’d like to celebrate. He asks to speak with me, a rare event I’m happy to entertain. He then tells me he is planning on embarking on a pschodelic experience, using drugs that are legal when used as directed and produce disaccociative effects with off label usage. He is planning on going alone into the hills to trip. I let him know I can’t support that activity, given his history, and that I can’t keep this information a secret. When we end our conversation I write down as much as I can remember, send it to his father and his mother. A week later we have a low key quiet birthday dinner and I have not heard from him since.