Guilt? Guilt is irrational from get but IF such a father does feel guilty, he can rest assured that its misplaced guilt since he only ever acted with his child's best interest at heart. Being a hypocrite though? That can really make a parent feel guilty and moreover, make a child truly hate their parent. G-D forbid the lad catches HIV or HCV because dear old dad did NOT choose to educate him, I reckon he might hate his father a hell of a lot more.
i don't understand what you're saying. not in terms of the points you're making, but how you're writing them. are you saying that the parent would be a hypocrite to shoot drugs and say their kid shouldn't?
i think what you're saying is that he definitely should show his kid how to inject dope. right?
i don't agree with people that are answering this question definitively - whether they are saying "yes"
or "no". obviously a lot of folks have a strong opinion either way, but considering what this forum exists to do, there is a lot to take into consideration here.
saying "yes, definitely" or "no, what the fuck are you thinking?" seems to depend on
a) what people's preconceptions are about the practice of IV administration or
b) ideas of what is "right" or "wrong" for parent to do.
it's too complicated and specific a question to give an answer that is only defined by those points.
we don't know these guys - some child-parent relationships might be able to cope with such a thing...whereas others can lead to huge family disputes, resentment, blame and even in the most suitable family situation (if one exists) things can
always go wrong or blow up in your face.
whatever choice you make - you could regret shooting up your son, and you could potentially regret
not doing it.
i think it is a really interesting discussion, but we really don't know enough to give adequate advice.
having said that, giving us more information about you or your son (or linking to photos...!) isn't going to be appropriate or any more helpful. the more ideas come out of this discussion the more constructive it might be.
i can relate to both sides of the debate, but i think both sides of the discussion are simplifying the whole thing to claim there is a clear-cut answer. i think we can all imagine what the conventional HR response to this is, but we all know that there are a lot of orthodox perspectives and commonly-held beliefs about drugs that are just irrational bullshit.
a few of us agree that being shown good IV technique is a good thing, an important thing - but the OP may also wish to ask himself whether the best person to provide demonstration is him. have you ever had health complications from shooting up? abscesses? missed shots? damaged veins? scar tissue?
also, does your son listen to you? is there a respect there, does his attitude show you that he listens to you, trusts you, believes you? or is he more likely (like many sons - i for one) to go "what does my fuckin' old man know?" and ignore you and do the opposite?
i don't what sort of health workers or whoever would be the best to give advice - people at needle exchanges or user's advocacy groups or whatever - but this might be worth pursuing as well.
you don't want your son taking dangerous risks, but it is worth questioning whether you are encouraging him to try injecting drugs.
is he really likely to go and score some drugs, pick up a fit pack and go and try it out himself with no information or guidance on proper technique? is this really likely to be imminent? to me that sounds more like a teenage/early 20s kind of thing to do. if he hasn't shot up yet, but he tells you he wants to, maybe you are actually the excuse he needs to try it.
perhaps he is actually seeking your approval without either of you necessarily being aware of it? perhaps even if you decide to do it, you should hold off on offering or agreeing until it is obvious he will find a way to do it regardless.
i can't speak for your understand or even begin to understand what he is like, but i'm the same age as him, and i tried shooting up years ago, when i was 19. what has held him back from taking that step all this time? is it maybe fear or a healthy concern for his own welfare? shit, if i had that hesitation, i sure would like to hold onto it! it's not worth any of us speculating about what is preventing him from being completely off the rails, but it sounds like he already has a lot of shit to contend with, such as alcoholism and his past. we both understand that IVing drugs is fucking amazing - and that knowledge can't be undone or completely forgotten.
i'm not saying you shouldn't do it (or that you should) because neither of these responses really expands on the basic options we started off with; yes or no.
there might be better options, or more options and regardless of what happens, it is not a simple proposition.
it is not black and white. i absolutely agree with what a lot of people are saying - to be honest i think the whole thing is a bit sad (no offence OP, it sounds like your son has had a tough life) , but it doesn't seem right to dismiss either perspective out of hand - that doesn't really help, because obviously it is a dilemma, for it to have been posted here to start with. in a way, both options are equally troubling - it's a tricky subject, loaded with potential disaster.
seems like the dude who started this thread hasn't said much for a week or so...i wonder if you have any more to add - or any updates? i'm trying to keep an open mind about this, and i think he needs to as well.
my thoughts about this are obviously very ambivalent, but that's not to say that anyone's perspective is wrong, except maybe treating it like it is a simple proposition. i understand people that dismiss this out of hand, but i can also see why some people think that is bullshit.
fuck, this has turned into a PhD dissertation. sorry for being longwinded, kids.
) Introducing this bi-polar 27 yo to IV use is bound to end up badly, fair enough if he goes out and does it himself anyway, at least the parent won't have the massive guilt that could be associated with first showing him how to shoot up...that kind of thing could ruin their relationship forever. I'm all for providing information/pamflets, whatever... but actually showing how to do it/sharing drugs/doing IV meth or herion together is too far. 
