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Drug addict step daughter

Allicat75's picture

Hi.  This is my first post here.  I found the site by accident but I loved what I saw so here I am, a member now.

I have a 21 year old step daughter fresh out of 30 day rehab for the third time.  She's now in a 30 day recovery home.  My dilemma is my husband.  He wants to move her into our home aftward.  She has legal troubles, no license, horrible attitude and an already strained relationship with her father, my husband.  

I cannot do it.  I have no biological kids and have been fortunate enough up til now not to have this daughter even be around me.  I know it will hurt our marriage becaues of the storm this girl brings with her everywhere.  She grew up in an upper middle class way and was doted on and I feel like she is spoiled and arrogant on top of the drug addiction.  She is outgoing and gregarious and has a commanding personality, all of which I believe if phony to get what she wants out of people.  

Besides telling my husband I am not willing to turn my life and home upside down for this, I don't know how to make it clear that I will not live like that.  I've been watching this daughter for four years now cause chaos everywhere she goes.  

Most recently she was dealing and is due to be tested for hepatitis.   I'm to old and chose a different path til now to start dealing with this trouble in my life.  I don't exactly trust my husband's judgement, either.   He fawns over her and sees some kind of good that I can't.  

I don't know what to do if he insists that she move into our home and near our dog that she hit in anger once.  I hate her.

 

 

 

hereiam's picture

Why does your husband think it's a good idea to move her in? Does he think he can save her? Who has she been living with previously?

I would stand firm and not let her move in. He can give her support in other ways (and I don't mean by handing her money). Your husband should attend some nar-anon meetings.

Allicat75's picture

Hi hereiam.  I think he believes he can do a better job at getting her to stay clean under his direciton.  He is a police officer and much harder on her than her mother is.  He has resources to be able to keep an eye on her and the drug using network of friends she has.  

The next time he and I speak about her living situation I will bring up his attending meetings.   I don't think he takes it seriously that I may leave.  I have to protect myself, though.  Even if I risk losing him. 

Thanks again.

hereiam's picture

I think he is overestimating what HE can do to keep her clean.

I get that he wants to help his daughter but she is an adult and SHE has to want to stay clean. He can't make her, even if he is a police officer and thinks he has resources (this could actually backfire). I am not sure what he thinks keeping an eye on her and the drug using network of her friends is really going to do. I don't think he's thinking realistically.

I agree that you have to protect yourself. If you lose him by putting your foot down on this, well, it's better to know that now, than to go through months of hell with her living with you, and then it still being over.

 

Thumper's picture

((((HUGS)))))

I have the deepest compassion for you.

What do YOU want to do tomorrow, next month, next year based on everything you wrote today.

Again I am so sorry. Your safe here, to talk about anything.

(((HUGS))))

Allicat75's picture

Hi Goodluck.  I don't want to lose him but I feel like I've given enough of a warning but that he'll still try to do it.  And if I don't bend, he will forever hold this animosity toward me.  Am I being too harsh in telling him that I will move out of my own home with our two dogs if he moves her in?  

I can't believe I'm even faced with this at this point in my life.   But there is a stonger bond between a parent and their child.  Stronger than the one I have with him.   I don't know what to think. 

sandye21's picture

"Am I being too harsh in telling him that I will move out of my own home with our two dogs if he moves her in?" No.

Allicat75's picture

Hi sandye21.  I feel like I'm giving an ultimatum, which I am, but either way I'm going to lose something out of this.  I hate her.  She has never really spoken to me all because she has such distain for her father and now I feel like she ( and the ex wife) win him back if she moves in.   

Merry's picture

You and your DH should have equal decision making authority about what happens in your home. You deciding to move out is no different than him deciding that his daughter will move in. He makes a decision, you make a decision.

And moving her in is about the worst thing he can do for her. Part of her recovery is to learn how to live on her own. I suggest he talk with an addictions counselor. Surely the recovery center where she is has opportunity for families to meet with the counselors to learn how to best support the recovering addict. I'd be shocked if a counselor advocated for living with a parent.

Your DH, foolishly but commonly, thinks that he can "help" her and "protect" her, and he is probably even more deluded because he is a law enforcement officer. He can't help, and he can't protect. He just can't. It is entirely, 100% up to her to make the choice to remain sober or not. I don't see how living in a tense household is useful at all.

Anonyn49's picture

I have a similar situation with a SD, age 33. She has a drug problem, psych issues etc.

I have already told my husband she won't ever be able to move in with us. Thankfully she has never asked to, but the day will come, I am positive. I know I can't live with her and, frankly, I won't.

I would suggest you just be frank about this. She will destroy your marriage if she moves in; it might or might not if you or the two of them move out.  If he insists she come, then you must calmly and lovingly tell him you can't live that way and you both will need to budget for alternative living arrangements, either for the two of them or for you. You have a right to do this; he has the right to ask she come, but not to demand that she does. You may need to bring this up in family counseling, which should be part of any addict's recovery journey.

Allicat75's picture

Hi Anonym49.  I like that you feel as strongly as I do.  I think because I don't have biological children, and because I don't know the bond a parent and their child has, that I always have to put my feelings and needs aside.  Like helping the child survive will always be more important that my mental well being.  I don't have many people to talk about this with.  I don't want to worry my parents who are on my side with the constant discussion and all of my friends have kids so I don't think they'll be unbiased.  This site and the repsonses I've already gotten are so helpful already.  I wish you luck also in this.   I just can't be worn down on this one.  I give him a lot of latitude because I'm not a parent but I can't bend on this one.   

If he ever becomes ok with me leaving my own home for this then I will know, with confidence, that I'll never be the most important person to him.  It hurts me like crazy to think that. 

tog redux's picture

What he wants to do is enabling and not in her best interest any more than it is in yours. She is an adult and he can't "parent" her through tough love anymore - she has to learn to stand on her own two feet and manage her own addiction and he can't do that for her. Trying to control her so she will stop using will backfire on him - I actually know of a situation in which the adult addict living in the home killed one of his parents because they were taking his money and controlling it so he couldn't use. 

She needs to go to a sober living house and be on her own. All you can do is set your own boundaries, and you are right, he will have to choose between you. It's very sad to me that he would choose enabling an adult daughter over a supportive wife.

 

Exjuliemccoy's picture

This young woman has to want to save herself, and needs to be in a supportive environment where she can continue her recovery. Living with a SM she hates and a father she holds in contempt would be stressful and not conducive to her recovery.

Do you know for a fact that this woman wants to move in? Or is your H kneejerking and thinking he can "rescue" his daughter by policing her out of addiction?

Family issues can be a huge obstacle to an addict's sobriety. I am married to a retired cop from a family with addiction issues, so I can relate a bit about the personalities involved. Your H is accustomed to being able to exert control in order to solve problems, but he can't police his daughter into sobriety. He can only be a father, and offer encouragement.

Your H is not an authority figure when it comes to your marriage. He's half of a partnership, and doesn't get to make unilateral decisions that will adversely impact you. You need to stand up for yourself, your marriage, and even for the skid who doesn't like you. Find data on the subject of addiction recovery, a few names of addiction specialsts/counselors, locations and times for Nar-Anon family meetings (www.nar-anon.org). Sit down with your H, go over it all, offer to go to meetings with him, but draw your boundary. Stand up to him - he may not like it, but he'll respect you for it. I was a doormat for years, and can tell you that my marriage is stronger and better since I put on my bi!ch boots and demanded respect.

Allicat75's picture

Thank you so much for your thoughts.  You brought up a couple points I hadn't even considered in this.

hereiam's picture

Find some nar-anon meetings and offer to go with him. Show him that you support him in helping her but NOT by moving her into your home.

If she had disdain for her father, moving her in so that he can have her under his thumb, is not going to work, anyway. She has never really spoken to you? So, living in that environment (disdain for her father, disrespect for you) is not going to be conducive to her getting her act together.

Anonyn49's picture

I do have biological children and I actually do love my SD. She is a dynamic, funny person when she isn't locked into the hell of her own brain and proclivities.

There is a saying in healthcare, that when one member of a family is seriously ill, the whole family is seriously ill. Your husband's inability to "give up hope" on his daughter is understandable, yet a symptom of the codependence that comes with being the relative of an addict. He is going to have to want to get past that - and the only chance his daughter has of true recovery is for him to do so.

All that being said, the only person in this situation that you can control is you. There is nothing wrong at ALL with having boundaries. In fact, addicts tend to destroy everything they come into touch with when boundaries don't exist. The writing is on the wall re: your relationship with your husband. You don't have to get divorced and he can return to "dating" you if she moves in - but you have every right to remove yourself from that situation (or to ask him if he will live with her elsewhere). He is naturally afraid of her relapsing, and with good cause. Odds are that she will. As a parent, you want to do what you can to prevent them from self destructing. The paradoxical truth though is that unless she is allowed to, she has zero chance of facing down her demons. She absolutely will take you, your dogs, your home, belongings, financies and marriage down with her. I personally don't see where you have a choice to make here. She needs to be sober a lot longer than this to be met with anything other than a wall of self protection.

Harry's picture

You already lost something.  Your DH is not understand your feelings.  You DH is not going to stay home 24 hours a day.  So who going to take care of SD when he working or doing something.   You told him your point, you will move out if SD moves in.  If she moves in you must move out to control your own life.  

Wanderer's picture

For sure, unless you are both on the same page and equipped with necessary skills for navigating addict behavior, it's not a good idea. But that said, I can see, from own experience, getting on the same page is the biggest battle. 

Allicat75's picture

You all have each brought up points that I hadn't thought about yet.  I feel guilty somewhat but I have to stop letting this all hurt me so much and stand my ground.  

nappisan's picture

HI Allicat,  this is a tough one ,, im not speaking from experience with my own kids but my estranged sister who tore my family apart.  this sounds all too familiar! ever since she was in high school she was trouble for the family and left a trail of destruction everywhere, she had bad bad attitude , blamed everyone for everything thats gone wrong in her life , she has a super loud arrogant personality also,,, and what i learnt from all this is that this type of personality is they never take accountability or move forwrad with anything in  life ,,, she in now 53 and still the same! be warned!  Unless she is willing to change her life and take accountability for all her actions and ask for forgivness and do everything in her power to earn trust and respect back with the family ,, it will never change and you and your DH will spend years cleaning up mess after mess after mess!  My sister came out of rehab a couple of years ago and nowhere to go ,, my parent foolsihly moved her in ...again(too many times to count anymore), she felt like my folks owed her something ans she didnt have to make amends for any destruction she has caused .  after years of having her lazy ass in the house not working , they told her to leave ,,, it took them almost another year to get her out as she refused to leave and felt she was entilied to live in the family home as long as she liked.   Take action now to put things in place for yourself ,, worst case DH moves her in ,, set firm living conditions she has to abide by or she can get the f*#k out.  she needs to apply for a certain amount of jobs every week, do all household chores if she is well and able and not working etc etc.  Dont make this a holiday for her , more like a boot camp

Allicat75's picture

Hi.  Thanks for your words of wisdom on this.  With my step daughter, it seems like she's had this entitlement way about her even when she was a child to that right there tells me she is not going to make this huge life change, she hasn't even hit bottom yet, much less been humbled enough to stop her way of thinking. And not being able to get her out of my house was always one of my prime concerns, as well.  I just won't even let it start to begin with.  

Justthesecondwife's picture

From the sounds of your story, your SD has had many chances to get clean and turn her life around. SHE is the one who has chosen not to. Yes, addiction is a disease, but as a previous posters stated, it's a disease which the family around also suffers through.

Your DH is likely to get sucked into a horrible situation of trying to police SD, which is going to backfire. If she is already distainful of him she will not respond well to his policing of her, and this may increase the incidence of relapse due to wanting to rebel against him. It may be the case where your DH gets so involved in trying to save SD that he could get consumed by his "project". I have seen this happen and it is extremely unhealthy. 

Where are you left in this equation? Your DH wants to move in a person who you hate, who is dangerous to your pets, is unkind to you both, and has serious issues. He will be so busy trying to rescue his daughter that it would seem like there would be no room for you. Would you just be "put on hold" in your own life and own marriage whilst DH goes about his mission to save SD from her own choices? Will he set solid boundaries in your home, and together with you, in order to protect your marriage and your happiness and mental health?

I would be asking all these questions of him. How does he envisage your marriage and togetherness as a couple, and sanctuary of your home, if his adult addict daughter moves in?

It's hard to stand by and watch people destroy their own lives, especially for a person who loves them and is by nature a "fixer". But your DH "fixing" your SD has the real potential to not only destroy your marriage, your own happiness, but also his.

I agree with the other posters. You are not giving your DH an ultimatum by telling him you have boundaries with regard to SD moving in, and should he demand it, you will be forced to make other accommodations for the welbeing of yourself. Support him in supporting SD in other practical ways, but keep an eye on any money he may want to hand her, that's never a good idea, but be clear that you will not allow him to sacrifice your welbeing for the sake of his adult daughter. If he won't look after your best interests, then you have the right idea about moving out until a resolve can be accomplished.

Best wishes to you.

Allicat75's picture

I really need to hear these kinds of things because I was second guessing myself until I joined this site and have received such positive reinforcement on my feelings.  I really do feel much better prepared to "fight" back with all of these points. 

hereiam's picture

I know you have "fight" in parentheses but do try to make it a conversation about what is, and isn't, best for her. He probably feels strongly that her moving in IS what's best and he will dig his heels in if he feels you don't want that because you hate her (and I don't blame you for that, but he will).

Do your research and have something to back up what you say. I have never been to nar-anon but I'm pretty sure that they would say, as would addict counselors, that moving her in so that her dad can keep an eye on her is not the answer. He may need to hear that from someone else. He may know, deep down, that it's not the answer but he doesn't know what else to do and that will make him feel like he's doing something. Give him other options.

Swim_Mom's picture

Especially on hitting the dog. If someone hurt my dog I'd go after them - it would be the same reaction as someone hurting one of my kids. She's a f-ing loser and I would not allow the bitch in my house let alone live there, hell no.

Anyone who would hurt an animal deserves the hell she is probably going through, self inflicted or not. It take a special kind of evil to hurt a dog. She would be dead to me.

 

Allicat75's picture

My precious dog is just as important as my well being too.   When I catch myself feeling like the bad guy in not letting her move in, I just remember what she did when she hauled off and hit my sweet boy, Oscar.   I have a feeling she has always had a mean streak in her long before drugs took over.  

Anonyn49's picture

It also bears mentioning that, at least in the States, that if an adult moves in with you and has mail sent to your house, they are considered a legal resident there, whether you agreed to it or not. Its a huge loophole that more than one deadbeat or addicted adult kid has taken advantage of. What this means is that if you let her move in, it isn't working and then you tell her to move out....she can refuse to do so and force you to go through the trouble of a legal eviction....which takes months.

Stay strong. Stay kind. I understand you hate her, but that cannot be what drives your conversations with your husband about this. Approach it with dignity, self respect and compassion for what he is going through. If you are firm in your resolve and it is coming from a peaceful place, you can both have empathy for what he is suffering and still hold firm in protecting yourself. He is going to need your support.

I am so sorry you are going through this.

Allicat75's picture

That is one point that I am going to bring up to my husband if he brings it up again about her moving in.  I have watched my parent's friends go through this with their adult daughter and son who are both involved in drugs and on the government dime living like bums and in and out of jail.   There ain't a think that he can say that will make me go through that.  Too much hell and hot water in my life already to even put up with that nonsense. 

SugarSpice's picture

drug users usually do so because they have mental problems.  problems the drugs make worse.  hitting an animal is a sure sign of a psychopath.  i would put my foot down and not let the sd move in.  it could spell the end of your marriage.  do what you have to do.  find her a cheap studio apartment (paid for by your dh of course) but dont let her move it.  your home is your sanctuary and she could seriously harm your pet when you are not around.  are you willing to deal with the guilt you will have if something happens to your pet?  preserve your marriage.

 

Rags's picture

She is an adult, she abuses animals and she is a drug addict with a repeated and ongoing history of failure when it comes to rehab and recovery. Not anyone I would allow in my home if I were you.  Whether daddy wants her there or not.

JRI's picture

We moved our druggie SD in with us and it was the worst 10 months of my life.  Drug use, lying, theft of my valuables, night creeping.  Everything the posters above say is TRUE. TRUE, TRUE.  What we ended up doing, because I couldnt stand living with her anymore and went to the hospital with stess-related issues, was to help her find somewhere else to live.  I wish we were not subsidizing her living expense ( she gets disability so its only oart) but it's better than her living here and my DH, like yours, is a compassionate, responsible DH (altho his Disney Dad self created this problem).  I told him if he ever let her move in again, im leaving and he's an 83-year old cancer patient.  Do not let her move in, whatever you do.

LisaSah77's picture

I feel very sorry for that. I know what does it mean. I have a friend who was drug addicted and it was one of the hardest period in her life, not just her, our life. She passed over this only with the help of specialists. We tried to support her and to make her to forget about the drugs but it didn't work. To be honest I don't really know why she started to use drugs but everything was really serious. Choosing the Right Rehab https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/finding-rehab-a-buyers-guide/ it is hard but you can find it. If you don't know how you can always find a guide that will direct you to those specialists that you need for yourself or for someone who needs rehab.