A mother from the Cotswolds has detailed a nearly ten-year struggle with her son Aidan's severe mental health issues and drug addiction, which ultimately led to his death at the age of 23. Lisa Hughes described a life of constant anxiety, dealing with drug dealers, and pleading with health services for assistance, only to feel repeatedly let down.
Aidan, who had a happy childhood and excelled in sports, including representing Team GB in inline hockey, began to change around the age of 14. He became secretive, refused to attend school, and exhibited behavior his parents initially attributed to typical teenage difficulties. However, the situation escalated when Aidan and other students took Xanax pills at school, resulting in some requiring hospitalization.
Hughes recounted her initial disbelief and denial, struggling to comprehend her son's involvement in drug use. The problem intensified as Aidan began stealing from the family, maxing out a credit card, and engaging in financial transactions with individuals suspected to be drug dealers. By 16, his drug use included cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, and prescription pills, accompanied by chronic anxiety and depression. Attempts to control his behavior, such as physically restraining him or tracking his phone, proved futile.
The family's home life became fraught with tension, impacting his younger brothers. Aidan also made serious attempts on his life, including cutting his wrists at 16, which his mother described as a cry for help. Despite these incidents and repeated pleas, Hughes felt that various agencies, including social services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), were ineffective or failed to provide adequate support. She described social services branding them