"You will never be a waste of my time, and I will always keep showing up for you." That is honestly the best thing a mother could ever say to her child! That line hit me especially hard because my own mother was very abusive and narcissistic. I am so glad the world still has people like you in it, Kristina.
Same! That line just killed me! I also grew up with an abusive narcissistic parent, and now I have a teenager of my own with mental health issues. I’m gonna have to remember those words, and use them with my child.
Please thank your son for sharing and thank you as well. I am not dealing with these specific issues with my kids but we have 4 teenagers at home right now and it is NOT for the faint of heart. These are hard times and they're hard on our kids and hard on us. It takes so much strength for our kids to overcome the pressures, drama, and challenges of this life and it takes soooo much strength for us to stumble, struggle, and crawl through trying to parent them through it all. But, in sharing we can help others. Your son is helping others and you are too. It reminds me of a quote from a woman who survived some horrific experiences "Make your mess a message, you can't let it destroy your life, life is too beautiful."
I wish my mother would have been more of an advocate and a support for me in my struggles. Watching you be there for your son in such an honest and genuine way is honestly so healing. My mother couldn't admit to her mistakes and would gaslight and lie all the time. All I wanted was to have a mother that worked WITH me. Not against me. I wanted to get better. I desperately wanted the help. I even checked myself into a mental health facility and I was the one that initiated going to therapy in my late teens... she just couldn't take accountability for the parts she played in my pain and suffering. I even had a therapist that told my mother that what she called "man-handling" was actually physical abuse but she refused to admit that was what my father was doing. She couldn't admit that the man she married was abusive because she would have to admit she allowed him to abuse her daughter because she was too afraid of being alone. It would have been okay if she had just said "I'm sorry" and actually meant it. But she couldn't see her mistakes and still see herself as a good mother. So instead of doing the hard thing and say, "I made a mistake but now I can change and be there for you better as a mother" she just left me to deal with reality all alone. Being able to admit that you were wrong as a parent is the best gift you could ever give your child. That humility will give your kid the ability to admit to their own faults and learn and grow so much easier and quicker. It will also allow them to not internalize your mistakes. Kids learn by observing. If you are able to admit to faults and learn and grow from them as a parent, your kid is going to follow that path as well. Thank you for being there for your son in a way my mother couldn't be there for me. You give me faith in humanity. So much love to you and your son 💚🌻
This. This was one of the most honest conversations that sooooo many kids and adults need to hear...and have. Thank you both for doing this!!! Its hard to hear as a mom of a 15 yr old son...but I want you both to know that I learned, felt, saw more in the last 20 min I just watched about your journey that has given me a better understanding of how different depression and anxiety are with each person and to know each situation is different...but can't be all treated the same. I suffer from both... And I know...i KNOW just watching and listening ....really listening is going to help me as a mom with my son... And as me trying to help myself navigate through the different aspects of mental health.... Thank you BOTH from the bottom of my heart...💞💗
I am sobbing. I just recently went through all of this with my daughter (psych hold and all) and it was so hard to see my baby go through this. It's still a battle and so much work everyday. I'm on edge everyday worried about her whenever she goes out. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this video...I needed this. This gives me hope.
A cryptic FB post hinted at this a few years ago. Became a call to prayer for you guys. I had felt connected and tremendously helped already by your videos and was now pouring out a mother's heart to God on your behalf. That was so important to me because I know how piercing it can feel when our kids are suffering and we're wobbling through being helpful enough. You've helped me see good in my attempts and even my messy missteps. Thank you! Hard to believe it's been 4 years already. We've all come through a lot. Thrilled for what you've produced here together in this video. Like beautiful, shapely blown glass from the furnace. 💙
I have watched this 3 times so far and cried every time. My brother is suffering from mental health. I pray everyday he finds his worth and love in the world
What an amazing young man to be able to tell his story in this way. I had a similar situation with my son who had mental health issues since age 12 and had years of issues before he was placed in residential at age 16 for 4 months. It was the hardest thing I had to do but it changed him for the better. There were still many years of anguish after that with alcoholism and arrests but finally at age 32 he became sober. It’s two years later and we are still all good. Life is so good now. I had the worst days of my life trying to save him until I joined al anon and was able to detach and finally let him suffer the consequences of his actions. After leaving him in jail for 2 months for an arrest for evading the police while he was driving drunk, he came out a different person. He didn’t start to understand what he was doing to himself and others with his drinking, until he ended up sitting in jail for months. It’s so hard to know the difference between helping and enabling, but I thank God that my son also seems to have come out the other end. Good job mama!
This is amazing. As a mom to a son who struggles with mental health and addiction, I applaud your conviction to encourage others. Keep up the work! You're both a blessing!
I am looking at my 3 weeks old son and watching this video, and I can't even imagine the amount of pain you've been through. I was diagnosed with clinic depression almost 20 years ago, and I know too well how it feels, and I can't help thinking -- what if this little helpless baby is going to have it too. How am I going to deal with it, when I am struggling myself. But then I look at you two, and it gives me hope. If you could go from the war, from the ruins of your own home, through all the pain and struggle, to the point when you can sit like this and have this incredible conversation with your handsome, smart, caring son today, I can handle this little depression of mine and keep myself together. If you could go through all of this, I have no excuse for self-pity, and I gotta get my sht together and just deal with my not-so-awful life. If you survived, I have no choice but survive. Thank you, both of you, for opening up, and being open and honest, and being a perfect example of how strong and powerful love is.
I can’t even express how impressed I am with Luka and where he is being so young with these experiences. Wise beyond years. And how mature to sit down and have a raw honest conversation with your mom like that and for others to see. Thank you. And Kristina 🙌🏼 thank you for helping other moms they aren’t alone in the pain and the way they are trying to navigate helping their child. ❤️❤️ you are inspired, your dedication as a mother is palpable.
Holy smokes, Luka… I don’t know how to ever thank you enough for sharing all this… for both me and my son who struggles with mental health… gosh, this is just so incredibly helpful. Your mom said she believed you would help someone someday… I believe you are will continue to impact MANY. Bless you as you continue your journey ❤️
Luka, I'm so impressed with your willingness to open up so honestly and publicly with your mom. I am also so grateful for it because it has given me such an important perspective should my children ever face these struggles themselves. Kristina, I am so impressed with you as well. Not for this video. But for protecting his privacy and not sharing ANY of this while it was going on. All you said was you were struggling from time to time, but it would have been so easy, and probably felt good to vent/reach out for help/support/well wishes etc. etc. etc. to your supportive online community. To lean on them though such an incredibly difficult time. But you didn't. And that, to me, is the biggest indicator of your character and love for your son above all else. There's no doubt in my mind where Luka gets his strength, resolve, and character from.
Because of this very important video I had a great conversation with my almost 11-yr-old son about the importance of mental health, communication and the dangers of drug use. I can’t thank you enough Luka for being vulnerable and brave here, telling your story. It will impact so many lives, I know it! Stay authentic!
Something I’ve always loved about Kristina is her ability to relate to so many. Me not having children but still relating to her honesty and struggles was so incredible to me. I appreciate you both being very raw on a hard topic. I hope that you both found peace and kindness and beautiful spirit through this process.
Thank you so much this is HUGE help for all the parents and kids who are going through similar situations 🙏 ❤ My 17,5 yo son is currently battling depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety disorder 😢 Today he couldn't even make it to school... Thanks again for speaking up! We are so proud of you guys ❤❤
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. As someone who has dealt with depression for over four decades... As a mother with children who deal with depression (some of whom self-medicate)... As a grandmother who recognizes the signs of depression in her grandchildren... As a sister whose brother finally declared, after many years of self-medicating with alcohol, that he was tired of fighting the depression war by committing suicide... As the niece of an uncle I never met because he committed suicide before I was even born... Thank you, Kristina and Luka. Recording that interview took a lot of courage... and it may be the most important video you've ever made. Or ever will make. May God bless you and yours.
Oh my heart! Really upset me! I’m so proud of you & your son! I have a long history of complex mental health issues so this is close to home. It’s a good reminder to ask your kids how they are. Thank you 🙏🏻
My son was 6 when I divorced and his dad moved away. Raising him on this past 8 yrs alone (no family here in US) made me feel a lot of guilt. I couldn't date/remarry because my time is either working or dedicated for him. I really appreciate the courage from you both to come and doing this video. We always look our neighbor's grass greener. Now, watching this, I am not sure if I had remarried my son would not have depression but at least I know that I am not alone on this path. No matter what we do, how much love we give, sometimes they will go through those tough path. I still believe that your love and support was the best and it is what I am doing here. Again, THANK YOU for sharing this love.
Just saw a reel on FB, mentioning this video. As a grown up suffering from similar issues, and father of now almost grownup kids with again similar issues, I can only applaud your effort and his courage. And I had to swallow hard quite a few times.
Oh wow. This may only be a small portion of what you went through, but it's pretty jaw-dropping nonetheless. I can't even imagine what the whole picture was like. This is breathtakingly brave of both of you, you're amazing role models here, I wish you both HUGE amounts of love & peace.
Well that just had me crying like a baby. Happy for you both, I’ve struggled with my oldest this bast year but through learning to communicate properly things have gotten so much better.
I am watching this crying at how I feel like I am watching the situation we are going through with my son right now. Thank you for sharing this story. I am going to watch this with my son. I am hopeful that it will make an impact. He sounds so much like my son describing how he feels. We have done the psych evaluation in the ER and he is doing better. I hope we can keep moving forward. Things still need to change to do that but I know he can do it. Thank you so much for sharing ❤ I pray and really hope we can get through this and have my son happy without anything to make him feel better.
Thank you both for this. My son has been through hell too and he's not completely out of the woods. This brings me a lot of hope. Thank you for having the courage to speak up. ❤️
So very powerful. My son is only 9 and I see so many red flags for what Amy come our way when he is older. Your story will inspire and help in the healing of so many! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your journey
It's crazy how the whole time your life is perfect, social media can be so deceptive. I'm glad you put this conversation out there because many people are dealing with this.
I have a son and I don’t even pretend to know how hard it was for both of you to get through of this. I just want to hug you and your son while hearing this story. He is such a brave and amazing person trying to help others with his honest story. Sending you both so much love and wish you guys happy and healthy ❤️
I wish I came across this video 3 years ago as it would have given me some time to help my late partner who was using drugs too cope with his depression but I didn't realise how bad it was until it was too late. Thank you both for opening up and showing me a little of what he was going through.
I cannot thank you and Luka enough for this. I can't believe that it took me this long to view it and plan to watch it a few more rounds. My 16yo daughter is currently in a residential program. Luka's story is so similar to hers. Therapists, drs., testing, brain scans, etc. She's had such negative thoughts for so long her brain scans (SPECTS) are similar to PTSD patients. She's on her journey back to real living. I hate that we're going through this, but we've all grown so much that maybe it was what we needed in this season to open all of our eyes to the truth. We just had her home for a few days at Thanksgiving. It was pure heaven to hold her in my arms, pure hell to send her back. But she goes back willingly (while saying she doesn't want to be there, of course) because she knows that at the end of this phase, she'll be in a better place. It breaks my heart to leave her there. Every. Single. Time. But I am grateful for programs like theirs and folks like you and Luka who share so openly. Luka, it was a blessing for me to hear from your perspective. I learned, understood, and realized so much. You're helping. I cannot thank you enough. Kristina, it was such a relief to hear from yours. My heart ached for you as I know exactly how you feel from the mom perspective. I've told my daughter the same thing - you are worth all of the effort that I put out to help you. I'll keep going as long as it takes. Thank you. Much love to both of you.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I wish I could have had this conversation with my parents. It took me until I was 42 to stop self medicating. Luka you are amazing to get where you are at this age. Be proud and I hope everyone sees this video.
This is so amazinggg to come out and bare your scars and talk about your healing! Thank you to both of you champions mom-son duo!! You’ll never know how many individuals you have helped!! 🙏🏻💙
You both are so so brave and so so sooo amazing for sharing this and being this vulnerable. I’m a single mom and my oldest son is 16. Thank you thank you for sharing this 🖤🖤🖤
This came just in time, as I'm going through a very tough time watching my loved ones eaten by their pain , tired & want to take their own lives .. my heart is boiling from inside wanted to shoot different videos speaking with them about it to aware other people; however they're still struggling ..them came your video ..speaking about my dream , hope one day I would see them progressing in their healing journey, stretching their hands with me to rescue others..as I could not imagine my life without them ..prayers needed ..& thanking you a lot ❤️🌷
This broke my heart in to a million pieces and then wove those pieces back together again. Congratulations on your progress, Luka. This community is so proud of you. And Kristina… from one mama to another, you are my hero. I can not imagine the broken heart you nursed during these events, but you did the hard things because they were the RIGHT things. You and Luka will save lives with this video.
Oh Kristina, I can hardly cope with this. Aside from how beautifully candid he is, your son makes lovely eye contact with you. As an autistic human, it's not something I'm super good at, but I do enjoy observing it in others.
I'm not bawling, you're not bawling.....as a family member of someone currently in a similar position, I am so very grateful and appreciative for this. Thank you both so much much.
This is so powerful. I watched this and immediately changed how I spoke to my young kids. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to share such a tough time in your lives. You are helping, Luka. You helped me see a "kids" perspective. You are so brave. Kristina, to think you were going through this while writing, touring, developing your career.....wow. Just wow. You are a super Mom and a genuinely good human. Btw, still think your show was one of the best I've seen. Hello from Denver!
I am going through a hard time with my son and I have felt and experienced some of the things you mentioned..it was so nice to know I am not alone and there is hope! Thank you for being honest and vulnerable ❤️
This is one of the best videos and formats for addressing this. So vulnerable but also so well articulated. It will help many people, I'm sure of it. Thank you both for doing this! Lots of love.
I’m sobbing! Like ugly cry, Oprah would notice me, crying. I suffered with severe depression for so long. It started in my youth and carries on to this day. Thank you Luka for being pellucid and for allowing us to know about your darkest days. May your healing continue. May the sun shine on you for forever. May you know joy and bliss. Thank you 🧡
I’m sitting in my car bawling my eyes out. I’m an alcoholic with terrible ADHD and depression. I have 3 teenagers (with my husband) who struggle with depression. We talk. We hug. We love. We struggle together. This video is the realest….it’s not what we see in social media but what we see in our homes. I love that this shows the struggle, the joy, the setbacks, and the pain.
My eldest also struggled with dep, and it was the most frightening time of my life. You are both a huge inspiration. A heartfelt thank you for doing this.
Thank you thank you thank you, for sharing this. Both of you. I just spent the last 2 years going through this with my daughter. So many people don't understand how hard this is to go through with your child, but as parents we have to push. We have to push to get them the help they need so we can build a relationship to help them through.
This broke my heart as a mom who suffers from anxiety and depression with a son who struggles with anxiety and depression. My depression was what kept me numb and made me feel nothing, so I used drugs to feel euphoric. My son's depression is the opposite he doesn't use alcohol or drugs, but refuses to take prescription medication, so we have to deal with multiple suicide attempts..I feel like I'm running a marathon but staying at the starting line. This video was so powerful. Thank you, I love that you are helping with bringing awareness to mental health ❤
Drugs are one of my greatest fears bc there's too many stories, they're too available it's an everyday reality and bc it's one of the main things that can steal our babies away. Luka, I can only imagine the strength that took to say "enough" and than follow through, congrats! Kristina, nothing gave away your struggle, you kept entertaining us all along, in my eyes you're a superhuman 💞
This means so much to me... I have four boys, two of whom are teens, struggling with heavy issues (with a family history of scary stuff😭) Thank you Luka and Kristina ❤️
Wow. You two have been through so much 💖 I don’t think anything I’ve seen on YT has ever impacted me as much as this just did. You’re tough as nails. Good job fighting for your son. I’m so glad he’s here and healthy and able to share his story.
Thanks to you and Luka for sharing this. My youngest son has been dealing with depression and anxiety since he was a teenager. When he was 17 he told me his plan for killing himself. It was so hard to get help in our area. Very few mental health services, and they were only available if court ordered. He also self-medicated, and did end up arrested. That was a turning point for him, and he eventually got clean. But the anxiety is still a big problem, and he is still struggling. It's so hard to see your child go through this.
Oh my goodness this is the most touching, deep-to-my-bones heart-to-heart between a parent and child. Thank you so much for sharing this story. I've even learned a few things from some of the things your son said.
As a mum (recovered from depression and anxiety), 7 years sober and have a 14 yr old teen. I am also a police officer, this video has just saved lives. Thank you to Luka for being so open and honest. Thank you Kristina for asking him to share it. This is probably the most important video I have ever seen in relation to teen depression/ anxiety and addiction. May I just say thank you to the both of you. I wish you blessings and the good fight every day xx
This is so needed. For both the person with an addiction/mental health struggles and the caregiver. I've been the caregiver and it's so easy for people to assume and give you their opinon of how THEY would handle it. Well each situation is unique, support is what's actually needed. Your unconditional love is beautiful. Your sons vulnerability is so so so brave and inspirational. Luka you are amazing and proud of all the hard work you've done. And you'll help so so many people. Thank you both.
Proud of him for making this video. My question to you, when going through this were you ever embarrassed? Knowing others were looking at you, talking about you, judging you? I feel guilty or hopeless. Again, you are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this part of both your lives.
Those thoughts definitely crossed my mind. One example... when I called the cops on my son, we had just recently moved to a new neighborhood, and now the neighbors are looking out the window, wondering why there are cops cars on the street, and then seeing my son in handcuffs and me crying. I had to learn to not care about what people are thinking because it would only distract me from the most important thing: getting my kid the help he needs and learning how to best support him.
I was the little sister in a very similar story growing up. My brother has always struggled with these issues and I am so grateful to y'all for sharing your rawness and truth in your conversation. It gives me hope that even if I one day go through it with my kids who are still little, I will hopefully have a better understanding of different perspectives.
Thank you for sharing this! you inspired to try to do this with my 22 yr old son that was fighting suicidal thought and actions for 5 years. We too never were going to give up on my son. then after he came out of residential and was going great two of my kids tried for harm their self one by hanging himself from a door (over body image issues) luckily my son that started all of this was there to save his little brother. then my daughter tried to end it by eating 16 prozac pills. let me note that my family is a blended family so they are children of divorce. This video is something that i wish i would have thought to do with my son. we have spoke about these things but never thought about filming it and sharing it with the world. I'm super happy to see your son happy and healthy. God bless you and your family.
I have needed this video. As a parent of a teenage boy who is trying to navigate our relationship and prepare him to be out "on his own", I needed this. Parenting is hard. Each stage of parenting is hard, but the teen years are the most unsettling. I appreciate you.
The part where you said you saw him get taken away broke my heart so much. Looking at my 3 year old I realize I can't always control things and it's amazing to see the growth of you and your son's relationship ♥️♥️
This is amazing, beautiful, heart wrenching all of the things. I am so proud of both of you for getting to this point. What you did Kristina when you just kept showing up, figuring it out, putting your heartbreak below your need to save your child is so difficult. I cried. I have 3 sons, the youngest (19) could easily have been your son... still could be. As terrified as it is to think about I will show up for him. Over here crying..
Thank you to both of you for letting millions of people in similar situations know they are not the only ones. Kristina, you are an inspiring example of unconditional love and relentless support and determination as a parent---what a world this would be if everyone had someone like you in their corner.
Thank you both for sharing- powerful stuff. I will start asking my son how I can support him each day as he struggles with some of the things you discussed.
Luka.... Thank You For Doing This Video... My Son Sean Lost His Battle With Addiction Two Years Ago... Your Story Helped Me To Understand What He Was Feeling.... Thank You From My Heart... You Are Making A Difference.... You Are A Warrior.... Sending My Love, Sean's Mom
This is the most honest, open, emotional video I have ever seen. As parents, we make mistakes and we feel our children pay for them. I am so happy that he is doing so well. How proud you must be of him! Congrats Luka!
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been in a similar situation and it’s so tough. Many nights I went in to check on my daughter to see if she was breathing. Therapy was our game changer. Group, family and individual. Thank you for this!!!
Draga Kristina, nisam baš neki as što se tiče engleskog jezika, pa pišem komentar na "našem". Ovo je jedan od najljepših i najiskrenijih videa koji sam ikad pogledala. Kad plačeš, reduješ se i suosjećaš kroz jedan razgovor, s osobama koje ubiti ne poznaješ osobno, e onda je ispunjena svrha tog video. Izvrsni ste zajedno ❤️ samo nastavite dalje. Lijep pozdrav sa sjevera Njemačke.
This video has hade in tears. I'm an alcoholic and drug addict in recovery. I started using at 14 years old and I used for 15 years before I managed to get clean. I made such a mess of my life. What an amazing thing you and your son have done sharing about this. Addiction is one of the most awful things families can go through and there is so much stigma attached. I'm clean for 13 years and it has been such a journey. Keep on sharing about this!
Take this opportunity to reach out to anyone you feel was part the collateral damage of your choices. Identify each emotions that enters you mind at the thought of how that will go and write it down. Honor the impact each emotion has had in moulding you into the person your are today. Even the ones that seemingly held you back or filled you with regret and don’t leave out the ones that put a smile on someone face. Thank those emotions for attempting to engage you with an opportunity for free will to chose a path. Like bumpers in bowling lanes emotions don’t want us in the gutters. Really they don’t. Envision bumping up against the negative emotions that will arise if you approach your past and than set the purpose of the “meeting” to simply engage with each emotion as they arise and choose not to go in the gutter. Bring the cheat sheet list with you so you take out your conflict with the emotion and not your loved ones or anyone for that matter. Bump up against it and feel a wave of gratitude you recognized the opportunity to stay in your lane and not go off in the gutter. Eventually you won’t need those emotionally bumpers to stay in your lane and even better recognize when others still do. The conflict is rarely with the person in front of us but with the invisible ego that tags along When I tell people I climbed Kilimanjaro they reply “did you get to the top” and I say “my goal was to show up because most don’t even put in that much effort” 100% of the time they realizes they weren’t focused on the defining moment I already conquered my mountain. 💜🏔 I’m a stranger to you but congratulations on the effort to even show up to climb your mountain.
If we could only know how to help at the time, we’d be superhuman. As a mom, it broke my heart to hear this story but I learned from it. Thanks to you both. ❤️
Absolutely love! My daughter started having depression in the 5th grade but it didn’t come to a head until 6th grade. I feel guilty for not catching it earlier. I started having depression at 10 also. I now have treatment resistance depression. The difference is that I pray is that with her I heard a voice telling me (I call it the Holy Spirit) when I was crying out one day “GOD WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!!!” I heard “Do what you would have wanted to be done with you”. We got her help immediately and she is doing amazing! She would definitely talk openly like Luca does! As for me, it took 3 years for my parents to get me help. Such a breath of fresh air you two are!!
Luka, I pretty much cried through this whole thing. I do not have any kids that have struggled with drug addiction but I am a mom of a large family with kids ranging from 21 to 7, and they all have their own struggles. I don't know what they may choose at some point, hopefully not drugs, but I want to be there for them if it happens. I want you to know how incredibly brave and strong I think this was! Thank you so much for being so open, honest, raw and sharing. You've touched my heart today ❤
Thank you for posting this. I just watched all 8 parts on tik tok. This hits home for me. I have a 21 yr old junior in college son who is deferring for a year to focus on his mental health and pill addiction. He has been clean for 6 mths but knows being home will only help. This has happened with the help of therapy and group support. You really opened my eyes up to know I’m not alone and there is light at the end of the tunnel. My son and i know it will be a uphill struggle. The part were you said the look he gave you on the gurney broke me. There was a time when my son almost OD’ed at home. My kid gave his dad and i the same look. He knew he messed up and kept telling us how much he loved us. He thought he was going to die. And the look he gave when he found out his little sister seen him he broke down and realized he needed help. This was in march 2020 it took till end of 2021 for him to give up pills and change his life to make a change. I completely understand it was him who needed to say i will stop. Every day he was away at school was torture thinking i would get a call he is gone. It has been the worse days, months, year, of my life. I’ve told him time and time again i will never give up on you and i will always show up to help you and be there for you. Always. You are my son and i will never give up on you. Multiple times my husband or i would go pick him up from school to come home because of the temptations at college and he felt he wasn’t strong enough to stay there and needed to come home. Now I’m just rambling. Sorry for the long message. But just wanted to say thank you for this. I needed this more than anything. Sending much love to you and continued strength to you son and his almost 2 yrs of sobriety. Thanks you again. My soul feels hope even more than it did before i watched your son and your journey.
I felt like I was reliving my journey with my sons addiction and mental health crisis. I cried the whole time. Especially the part about calling the police and having your kid taken away in handcuffs. It was gut wrenching. I'll never forget the look on his face. His hospital was 2 hours away and there were times we'd drive to visit him and he'd just yell at us and tell us to leave. We'd go home and do it again next time. He finally wanted to talk. As hard as it was for all of us, this changed us all for the better.
From an 18 year olds perspective, thank you! That was so brave of you both, and really shows both sides of the same coin. Luka, you are so brave and strong for a lot of reasons, but so much more for being willing to invest in mending a relationship that you probably felt was lost for a while. To be willing to hear what it was like from your Mom’s perspective and realise where she was coming from is such a big step, and then to keep fighting through everything that comes with sobriety. Just wow. Kristina, thank you for never giving up on Luka! You didn’t know the best way to handle each situation because they had never happened before. You did your absolute best to love Luka in practical ways and it has paid off! Thank you for being a wonderful mother and helping in every way you can, even when it’s painful. Thank you both
Luka, you are amazing! If you love writing, you should tell your story in a book. This will not only help others but you yourself too. And Kristina, I can only imagine what you went through. You show unconditional love and love prevails, no matter what. I love you guys, big hugs from Switzerland
Two amazing people chatting about how hard life can be and giving all of us hope. Thank you for that. We are also struggling... Full of hope that things will get better. Thank you for this video. ❤️
I aspire to be like you as a mother. I'm a recovering addict and have been sober for 2 years...it's difficult living with mental health and trying to balance being a mom of 5 children .my 15 year old son is struggling . And because I've put in the time to get sober and continuously do so, i have been able to help him get better. I hope one day i can have this sit down with him. So proud of your son. It takes a lot
Take this opportunity to reach out to your kids. Identify each emotions that enters you mind at the thought of how that will go and write it down. Honor the impact each emotion has had in moulding you into the person your are today. Even the ones that seemingly held you back. Thank those emotions for attempting to engage you with an opportunity for free will to chose a path. Like bumpers in bowling lanes emotions don’t want us in the gutters. Really they don’t. Envision bumping up against the negative emotions that will arise if you approach your kids and than set the purpose of the “meeting” to simply engage with each emotion as they arise and choose not to go in the gutter. Bring the cheat sheet list with you so you take out your conflict with the emotion and not your kids or anyone for that matter. Bump up against it and feel a wave of gratitude you recognized the opportunity to stay in your lane and not go off in the gutter. Eventually you won’t need those emotionally bumpers to stay in your lane and even better recognize when others still do. The conflict is rarely with the person in front of us but with the invisible ego that tags along When I tell people I climbed Kilimanjaro they reply “did you get to the top” and I say “my goal was to show up because most don’t even put in that much effort” 100% of the time they realizes they weren’t focused on the defining moment I already conquered my mountain. 🏔💜
I cried through this entire video and beyond. This has been me for 30+ years, battling depression alone. I have 5 teens right now, all trauma exposed kiddos I have adopted, all with some pretty significant struggles. I have been battling behavioral health for YEARS, I've had cops at my house, I've had so many things stolen from me, I have not felt safe in who knows how long. I agree, support groups, if you can find them, could really make a difference. Thank you for inspiring us all, making us laugh, sharing real life with us, all while you battle these demons in your own home. You are truly an amazing woman, and I know your videos make a difference for people, this one will definitely save some lives. I will pray for your family, I know how hard this all is on the ENTIRE family. I get it. I live this.
"You will never be a waste of my time, and I will always keep showing up for you."
That is honestly the best thing a mother could ever say to her child! That line hit me especially hard because my own mother was very abusive and narcissistic. I am so glad the world still has people like you in it, Kristina.
Same! That line just killed me! I also grew up with an abusive narcissistic parent, and now I have a teenager of my own with mental health issues. I’m gonna have to remember those words, and use them with my child.
A game where the rules kept changing and never being able to please your parent is EXACTLY how I felt as a teenager. Wow.
As a mom with mental health issues and has a kid with mental health issues this is made me bawl.
Please thank your son for sharing and thank you as well. I am not dealing with these specific issues with my kids but we have 4 teenagers at home right now and it is NOT for the faint of heart. These are hard times and they're hard on our kids and hard on us. It takes so much strength for our kids to overcome the pressures, drama, and challenges of this life and it takes soooo much strength for us to stumble, struggle, and crawl through trying to parent them through it all. But, in sharing we can help others. Your son is helping others and you are too. It reminds me of a quote from a woman who survived some horrific experiences "Make your mess a message, you can't let it destroy your life, life is too beautiful."
I wish my mother would have been more of an advocate and a support for me in my struggles. Watching you be there for your son in such an honest and genuine way is honestly so healing. My mother couldn't admit to her mistakes and would gaslight and lie all the time. All I wanted was to have a mother that worked WITH me. Not against me. I wanted to get better. I desperately wanted the help. I even checked myself into a mental health facility and I was the one that initiated going to therapy in my late teens... she just couldn't take accountability for the parts she played in my pain and suffering. I even had a therapist that told my mother that what she called "man-handling" was actually physical abuse but she refused to admit that was what my father was doing. She couldn't admit that the man she married was abusive because she would have to admit she allowed him to abuse her daughter because she was too afraid of being alone. It would have been okay if she had just said "I'm sorry" and actually meant it. But she couldn't see her mistakes and still see herself as a good mother. So instead of doing the hard thing and say, "I made a mistake but now I can change and be there for you better as a mother" she just left me to deal with reality all alone. Being able to admit that you were wrong as a parent is the best gift you could ever give your child. That humility will give your kid the ability to admit to their own faults and learn and grow so much easier and quicker. It will also allow them to not internalize your mistakes. Kids learn by observing. If you are able to admit to faults and learn and grow from them as a parent, your kid is going to follow that path as well. Thank you for being there for your son in a way my mother couldn't be there for me. You give me faith in humanity. So much love to you and your son 💚🌻
This. This was one of the most honest conversations that sooooo many kids and adults need to hear...and have. Thank you both for doing this!!! Its hard to hear as a mom of a 15 yr old son...but I want you both to know that I learned, felt, saw more in the last 20 min I just watched about your journey that has given me a better understanding of how different depression and anxiety are with each person and to know each situation is different...but can't be all treated the same. I suffer from both... And I know...i KNOW just watching and listening ....really listening is going to help me as a mom with my son... And as me trying to help myself navigate through the different aspects of mental health.... Thank you BOTH from the bottom of my heart...💞💗
Sending your family so much love!
I am sobbing. I just recently went through all of this with my daughter (psych hold and all) and it was so hard to see my baby go through this. It's still a battle and so much work everyday. I'm on edge everyday worried about her whenever she goes out. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this video...I needed this. This gives me hope.
A cryptic FB post hinted at this a few years ago. Became a call to prayer for you guys. I had felt connected and tremendously helped already by your videos and was now pouring out a mother's heart to God on your behalf. That was so important to me because I know how piercing it can feel when our kids are suffering and we're wobbling through being helpful enough. You've helped me see good in my attempts and even my messy missteps. Thank you! Hard to believe it's been 4 years already. We've all come through a lot. Thrilled for what you've produced here together in this video. Like beautiful, shapely blown glass from the furnace. 💙
This shows how expectation can loom over a child like a long shadow, covering their view of the light...
I have watched this 3 times so far and cried every time. My brother is suffering from mental health. I pray everyday he finds his worth and love in the world
What an amazing young man to be able to tell his story in this way. I had a similar situation with my son who had mental health issues since age 12 and had years of issues before he was placed in residential at age 16 for 4 months. It was the hardest thing I had to do but it changed him for the better. There were still many years of anguish after that with alcoholism and arrests but finally at age 32 he became sober. It’s two years later and we are still all good. Life is so good now. I had the worst days of my life trying to save him until I joined al anon and was able to detach and finally let him suffer the consequences of his actions. After leaving him in jail for 2 months for an arrest for evading the police while he was driving drunk, he came out a different person. He didn’t start to understand what he was doing to himself and others with his drinking, until he ended up sitting in jail for months. It’s so hard to know the difference between helping and enabling, but I thank God that my son also seems to have come out the other end. Good job mama!
How precious a mom and a son can be so open and talk about this topics and be vulnerable together. That’s life and love ❤
This is amazing. As a mom to a son who struggles with mental health and addiction, I applaud your conviction to encourage others. Keep up the work! You're both a blessing!
I am looking at my 3 weeks old son and watching this video, and I can't even imagine the amount of pain you've been through. I was diagnosed with clinic depression almost 20 years ago, and I know too well how it feels, and I can't help thinking -- what if this little helpless baby is going to have it too. How am I going to deal with it, when I am struggling myself. But then I look at you two, and it gives me hope. If you could go from the war, from the ruins of your own home, through all the pain and struggle, to the point when you can sit like this and have this incredible conversation with your handsome, smart, caring son today, I can handle this little depression of mine and keep myself together. If you could go through all of this, I have no excuse for self-pity, and I gotta get my sht together and just deal with my not-so-awful life. If you survived, I have no choice but survive. Thank you, both of you, for opening up, and being open and honest, and being a perfect example of how strong and powerful love is.
I can’t even express how impressed I am with Luka and where he is being so young with these experiences. Wise beyond years. And how mature to sit down and have a raw honest conversation with your mom like that and for others to see. Thank you.
And Kristina 🙌🏼 thank you for helping other moms they aren’t alone in the pain and the way they are trying to navigate helping their child. ❤️❤️ you are inspired, your dedication as a mother is palpable.
Bravo to you Luka- you are strong and courageous; a young man of character, intellect and heart - a bright future ahead of you. ⭐
Bravo special Mum 💕
Holy smokes, Luka… I don’t know how to ever thank you enough for sharing all this… for both me and my son who struggles with mental health… gosh, this is just so incredibly helpful.
Your mom said she believed you would help someone someday… I believe you are will continue to impact MANY. Bless you as you continue your journey ❤️
Luka, I'm so impressed with your willingness to open up so honestly and publicly with your mom. I am also so grateful for it because it has given me such an important perspective should my children ever face these struggles themselves.
Kristina, I am so impressed with you as well. Not for this video. But for protecting his privacy and not sharing ANY of this while it was going on. All you said was you were struggling from time to time, but it would have been so easy, and probably felt good to vent/reach out for help/support/well wishes etc. etc. etc. to your supportive online community. To lean on them though such an incredibly difficult time. But you didn't. And that, to me, is the biggest indicator of your character and love for your son above all else. There's no doubt in my mind where Luka gets his strength, resolve, and character from.
Because of this very important video I had a great conversation with my almost 11-yr-old son about the importance of mental health, communication and the dangers of drug use. I can’t thank you enough Luka for being vulnerable and brave here, telling your story. It will impact so many lives, I know it! Stay authentic!
Something I’ve always loved about Kristina is her ability to relate to so many. Me not having children but still relating to her honesty and struggles was so incredible to me. I appreciate you both being very raw on a hard topic. I hope that you both found peace and kindness and beautiful spirit through this process.
Thank you so much this is HUGE help for all the parents and kids who are going through similar situations 🙏 ❤ My 17,5 yo son is currently battling depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety disorder 😢 Today he couldn't even make it to school... Thanks again for speaking up! We are so proud of you guys ❤❤
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
As someone who has dealt with depression for over four decades...
As a mother with children who deal with depression (some of whom self-medicate)...
As a grandmother who recognizes the signs of depression in her grandchildren...
As a sister whose brother finally declared, after many years of self-medicating with alcohol, that he was tired of fighting the depression war by committing suicide...
As the niece of an uncle I never met because he committed suicide before I was even born...
Thank you, Kristina and Luka. Recording that interview took a lot of courage... and it may be the most important video you've ever made. Or ever will make.
May God bless you and yours.
The depth of your material always surprises me. Wow!
Thank you.
Oh my heart! Really upset me! I’m so proud of you & your son! I have a long history of complex mental health issues so this is close to home. It’s a good reminder to ask your kids how they are. Thank you 🙏🏻
My son was 6 when I divorced and his dad moved away. Raising him on this past 8 yrs alone (no family here in US) made me feel a lot of guilt. I couldn't date/remarry because my time is either working or dedicated for him. I really appreciate the courage from you both to come and doing this video. We always look our neighbor's grass greener. Now, watching this, I am not sure if I had remarried my son would not have depression but at least I know that I am not alone on this path. No matter what we do, how much love we give, sometimes they will go through those tough path. I still believe that your love and support was the best and it is what I am doing here. Again, THANK YOU for sharing this love.
Just saw a reel on FB, mentioning this video.
As a grown up suffering from similar issues, and father of now almost grownup kids with again similar issues, I can only applaud your effort and his courage.
And I had to swallow hard quite a few times.
Oh wow. This may only be a small portion of what you went through, but it's pretty jaw-dropping nonetheless. I can't even imagine what the whole picture was like. This is breathtakingly brave of both of you, you're amazing role models here, I wish you both HUGE amounts of love & peace.
Thank you so much!
Thank you Luka, I’m going to give my
18 yr son a big hug now , he’s struggling too. You’re amazing ❤️
Well that just had me crying like a baby. Happy for you both, I’ve struggled with my oldest this bast year but through learning to communicate properly things have gotten so much better.
I know this story.... It's been played out in my own life. Still waiting on the healing. So grateful to see an example of hope. Thank you for sharing.
I am watching this crying at how I feel like I am watching the situation we are going through with my son right now. Thank you for sharing this story. I am going to watch this with my son. I am hopeful that it will make an impact. He sounds so much like my son describing how he feels.
We have done the psych evaluation in the ER and he is doing better. I hope we can keep moving forward. Things still need to change to do that but I know he can do it. Thank you so much for sharing ❤
I pray and really hope we can get through this and have my son happy without anything to make him feel better.
Thank you both for this. My son has been through hell too and he's not completely out of the woods. This brings me a lot of hope. Thank you for having the courage to speak up. ❤️
So very powerful. My son is only 9 and I see so many red flags for what Amy come our way when he is older. Your story will inspire and help in the healing of so many! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your journey
This made me cry. 🥺 The unconditional love you show Kristina, it's beautiful.
Thank you Luka for sharing ❤️❤️ congratulations on 22 months.
It's crazy how the whole time your life is perfect, social media can be so deceptive. I'm glad you put this conversation out there because many people are dealing with this.
This is something everyone should watch! You both hit so many points that’s not talked about enough. You are both amazing people!
Thank you so much!
I have a son and I don’t even pretend to know how hard it was for both of you to get through of this. I just want to hug you and your son while hearing this story. He is such a brave and amazing person trying to help others with his honest story. Sending you both so much love and wish you guys happy and healthy ❤️
I wish I came across this video 3 years ago as it would have given me some time to help my late partner who was using drugs too cope with his depression but I didn't realise how bad it was until it was too late. Thank you both for opening up and showing me a little of what he was going through.
When you get into a support group and learn you're not alone is like a weight is lifted.
I cannot thank you and Luka enough for this. I can't believe that it took me this long to view it and plan to watch it a few more rounds. My 16yo daughter is currently in a residential program. Luka's story is so similar to hers. Therapists, drs., testing, brain scans, etc. She's had such negative thoughts for so long her brain scans (SPECTS) are similar to PTSD patients. She's on her journey back to real living. I hate that we're going through this, but we've all grown so much that maybe it was what we needed in this season to open all of our eyes to the truth.
We just had her home for a few days at Thanksgiving. It was pure heaven to hold her in my arms, pure hell to send her back. But she goes back willingly (while saying she doesn't want to be there, of course) because she knows that at the end of this phase, she'll be in a better place. It breaks my heart to leave her there. Every. Single. Time. But I am grateful for programs like theirs and folks like you and Luka who share so openly.
Luka, it was a blessing for me to hear from your perspective. I learned, understood, and realized so much. You're helping. I cannot thank you enough. Kristina, it was such a relief to hear from yours. My heart ached for you as I know exactly how you feel from the mom perspective. I've told my daughter the same thing - you are worth all of the effort that I put out to help you. I'll keep going as long as it takes. Thank you. Much love to both of you.
😥💜
Thank you so much for sharing this. I wish I could have had this conversation with my parents. It took me until I was 42 to stop self medicating. Luka you are amazing to get where you are at this age. Be proud and I hope everyone sees this video.
This is so amazinggg to come out and bare your scars and talk about your healing! Thank you to both of you champions mom-son duo!! You’ll never know how many individuals you have helped!! 🙏🏻💙
You both are so so brave and so so sooo amazing for sharing this and being this vulnerable. I’m a single mom and my oldest son is 16. Thank you thank you for sharing this 🖤🖤🖤
This came just in time, as I'm going through a very tough time watching my loved ones eaten by their pain , tired & want to take their own lives .. my heart is boiling from inside wanted to shoot different videos speaking with them about it to aware other people; however they're still struggling ..them came your video ..speaking about my dream , hope one day I would see them progressing in their healing journey, stretching their hands with me to rescue others..as I could not imagine my life without them ..prayers needed ..& thanking you a lot ❤️🌷
This broke my heart in to a million pieces and then wove those pieces back together again. Congratulations on your progress, Luka. This community is so proud of you.
And Kristina… from one mama to another, you are my hero. I can not imagine the broken heart you nursed during these events, but you did the hard things because they were the RIGHT things. You and Luka will save lives with this video.
As a mom to a 3yr old boy and a stepmom to a 21yr old boy who has struggled…. This is the most important video I have ever seen. Thank you.
Oh Kristina, I can hardly cope with this. Aside from how beautifully candid he is, your son makes lovely eye contact with you. As an autistic human, it's not something I'm super good at, but I do enjoy observing it in others.
I'm not bawling, you're not bawling.....as a family member of someone currently in a similar position, I am so very grateful and appreciative for this. Thank you both so much much.
This is so powerful. I watched this and immediately changed how I spoke to my young kids. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to share such a tough time in your lives. You are helping, Luka. You helped me see a "kids" perspective. You are so brave.
Kristina, to think you were going through this while writing, touring, developing your career.....wow. Just wow. You are a super Mom and a genuinely good human. Btw, still think your show was one of the best I've seen. Hello from Denver!
My son and I are walking a very similar path, bravo Zulu to you both for sharing your story. You give me hope for health and healing ❤️❤️
Please make more videos with Luka if he is willing. Would love to hear how all of th is affected his siblings and how that has gotten better.
I am going through a hard time with my son and I have felt and experienced some of the things you mentioned..it was so nice to know I am not alone and there is hope! Thank you for being honest and vulnerable ❤️
Thank you both. I am in awe of the deep love that is here. Thank you.
This is one of the best videos and formats for addressing this. So vulnerable but also so well articulated. It will help many people, I'm sure of it. Thank you both for doing this! Lots of love.
First 45 seconds. He describes depression perfectly.
I’m sobbing! Like ugly cry, Oprah would notice me, crying. I suffered with severe depression for so long. It started in my youth and carries on to this day. Thank you Luka for being pellucid and for allowing us to know about your darkest days. May your healing continue. May the sun shine on you for forever. May you know joy and bliss. Thank you 🧡
I’m sitting in my car bawling my eyes out. I’m an alcoholic with terrible ADHD and depression. I have 3 teenagers (with my husband) who struggle with depression. We talk. We hug. We love. We struggle together. This video is the realest….it’s not what we see in social media but what we see in our homes. I love that this shows the struggle, the joy, the setbacks, and the pain.
My eldest also struggled with dep, and it was the most frightening time of my life. You are both a huge inspiration. A heartfelt thank you for doing this.
"and if things go hard again, I'm here" 😭😭😭THIS!!! ❤
Thank you thank you thank you, for sharing this. Both of you. I just spent the last 2 years going through this with my daughter. So many people don't understand how hard this is to go through with your child, but as parents we have to push. We have to push to get them the help they need so we can build a relationship to help them through.
This broke my heart as a mom who suffers from anxiety and depression with a son who struggles with anxiety and depression. My depression was what kept me numb and made me feel nothing, so I used drugs to feel euphoric. My son's depression is the opposite he doesn't use alcohol or drugs, but refuses to take prescription medication, so we have to deal with multiple suicide attempts..I feel like I'm running a marathon but staying at the starting line. This video was so powerful. Thank you, I love that you are helping with bringing awareness to mental health ❤
Drugs are one of my greatest fears bc there's too many stories, they're too available it's an everyday reality and bc it's one of the main things that can steal our babies away. Luka, I can only imagine the strength that took to say "enough" and than follow through, congrats! Kristina, nothing gave away your struggle, you kept entertaining us all along, in my eyes you're a superhuman 💞
This means so much to me... I have four boys, two of whom are teens, struggling with heavy issues (with a family history of scary stuff😭) Thank you Luka and Kristina ❤️
Wow. You two have been through so much 💖 I don’t think anything I’ve seen on YT has ever impacted me as much as this just did.
You’re tough as nails. Good job fighting for your son. I’m so glad he’s here and healthy and able to share his story.
This is such an important conversation. Thank you so much for sharing!!! ❤
Thanks to you and Luka for sharing this. My youngest son has been dealing with depression and anxiety since he was a teenager. When he was 17 he told me his plan for killing himself. It was so hard to get help in our area. Very few mental health services, and they were only available if court ordered. He also self-medicated, and did end up arrested. That was a turning point for him, and he eventually got clean. But the anxiety is still a big problem, and he is still struggling. It's so hard to see your child go through this.
Mental Health struggles are complicated and so misunderstood! Thank You, Kristina and son for opening up and sharing from both of your perspectives.
Oh my goodness this is the most touching, deep-to-my-bones heart-to-heart between a parent and child. Thank you so much for sharing this story. I've even learned a few things from some of the things your son said.
As a mum (recovered from depression and anxiety), 7 years sober and have a 14 yr old teen. I am also a police officer, this video has just saved lives. Thank you to Luka for being so open and honest. Thank you Kristina for asking him to share it. This is probably the most important video I have ever seen in relation to teen depression/ anxiety and addiction. May I just say thank you to the both of you. I wish you blessings and the good fight every day xx
You are welcome to share it with high school students. Thank you! I hope it helps.
This was rough to watch in the best way. Congrats on your sobriety. Never stop trying.
This is so needed. For both the person with an addiction/mental health struggles and the caregiver. I've been the caregiver and it's so easy for people to assume and give you their opinon of how THEY would handle it. Well each situation is unique, support is what's actually needed. Your unconditional love is beautiful. Your sons vulnerability is so so so brave and inspirational. Luka you are amazing and proud of all the hard work you've done. And you'll help so so many people. Thank you both.
Proud of him for making this video. My question to you, when going through this were you ever embarrassed? Knowing others were looking at you, talking about you, judging you? I feel guilty or hopeless. Again, you are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this part of both your lives.
Those thoughts definitely crossed my mind. One example... when I called the cops on my son, we had just recently moved to a new neighborhood, and now the neighbors are looking out the window, wondering why there are cops cars on the street, and then seeing my son in handcuffs and me crying. I had to learn to not care about what people are thinking because it would only distract me from the most important thing: getting my kid the help he needs and learning how to best support him.
I was the little sister in a very similar story growing up. My brother has always struggled with these issues and I am so grateful to y'all for sharing your rawness and truth in your conversation. It gives me hope that even if I one day go through it with my kids who are still little, I will hopefully have a better understanding of different perspectives.
Thank you for sharing this! you inspired to try to do this with my 22 yr old son that was fighting suicidal thought and actions for 5 years. We too never were going to give up on my son. then after he came out of residential and was going great two of my kids tried for harm their self one by hanging himself from a door (over body image issues) luckily my son that started all of this was there to save his little brother. then my daughter tried to end it by eating 16 prozac pills. let me note that my family is a blended family so they are children of divorce. This video is something that i wish i would have thought to do with my son. we have spoke about these things but never thought about filming it and sharing it with the world. I'm super happy to see your son happy and healthy. God bless you and your family.
I have needed this video. As a parent of a teenage boy who is trying to navigate our relationship and prepare him to be out "on his own", I needed this. Parenting is hard. Each stage of parenting is hard, but the teen years are the most unsettling. I appreciate you.
The part where you said you saw him get taken away broke my heart so much. Looking at my 3 year old I realize I can't always control things and it's amazing to see the growth of you and your son's relationship ♥️♥️
Your son is so strong for sharing his story… and you are an amazing momma for being so vulnerable yet strong.
This is amazing, beautiful, heart wrenching all of the things. I am so proud of both of you for getting to this point. What you did Kristina when you just kept showing up, figuring it out, putting your heartbreak below your need to save your child is so difficult. I cried. I have 3 sons, the youngest (19) could easily have been your son... still could be. As terrified as it is to think about I will show up for him. Over here crying..
Thank you to both of you for letting millions of people in similar situations know they are not the only ones. Kristina, you are an inspiring example of unconditional love and relentless support and determination as a parent---what a world this would be if everyone had someone like you in their corner.
Thank you both for sharing- powerful stuff. I will start asking my son how I can support him each day as he struggles with some of the things you discussed.
Luka.... Thank You For Doing This Video... My Son Sean Lost His Battle With Addiction Two Years Ago... Your Story Helped Me To Understand What He Was Feeling.... Thank You From My Heart... You Are Making A Difference.... You Are A Warrior.... Sending My Love, Sean's Mom
This is the most honest, open, emotional video I have ever seen. As parents, we make mistakes and we feel our children pay for them. I am so happy that he is doing so well. How proud you must be of him! Congrats Luka!
I really am so proud of him! Especially for being so open to using the pain he's been through to help someone else feel less alone.
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been in a similar situation and it’s so tough. Many nights I went in to check on my daughter to see if she was breathing. Therapy was our game changer. Group, family and individual. Thank you for this!!!
Draga Kristina, nisam baš neki as što se tiče engleskog jezika, pa pišem komentar na "našem". Ovo je jedan od najljepših i najiskrenijih videa koji sam ikad pogledala. Kad plačeš, reduješ se i suosjećaš kroz jedan razgovor, s osobama koje ubiti ne poznaješ osobno, e onda je ispunjena svrha tog video. Izvrsni ste zajedno ❤️ samo nastavite dalje.
Lijep pozdrav sa sjevera Njemačke.
This video has hade in tears. I'm an alcoholic and drug addict in recovery. I started using at 14 years old and I used for 15 years before I managed to get clean. I made such a mess of my life. What an amazing thing you and your son have done sharing about this. Addiction is one of the most awful things families can go through and there is so much stigma attached. I'm clean for 13 years and it has been such a journey. Keep on sharing about this!
Take this opportunity to reach out to anyone you feel was part the collateral damage of your choices.
Identify each emotions that enters you mind at the thought of how that will go and write it down. Honor the impact each emotion has had in moulding you into the person your are today. Even the ones that seemingly held you back or filled you with regret and don’t leave out the ones that put a smile on someone face. Thank those emotions for attempting to engage you with an opportunity for free will to chose a path.
Like bumpers in bowling lanes emotions don’t want us in the gutters. Really they don’t. Envision bumping up against the negative emotions that will arise if you approach your past and than set the purpose of the “meeting” to simply engage with each emotion as they arise and choose not to go in the gutter. Bring the cheat sheet list with you so you take out your conflict with the emotion and not your loved ones or anyone for that matter. Bump up against it and feel a wave of gratitude you recognized the opportunity to stay in your lane and not go off in the gutter. Eventually you won’t need those emotionally bumpers to stay in your lane and even better recognize when others still do.
The conflict is rarely with the person in front of us but with the invisible ego that tags along
When I tell people I climbed Kilimanjaro they reply “did you get to the top” and I say “my goal was to show up because most don’t even put in that much effort” 100% of the time they realizes they weren’t focused on the defining moment I already conquered my mountain. 💜🏔
I’m a stranger to you but congratulations on the effort to even show up to climb your mountain.
If we could only know how to help at the time, we’d be superhuman. As a mom, it broke my heart to hear this story but I learned from it. Thanks to you both. ❤️
Absolutely love! My daughter started having depression in the 5th grade but it didn’t come to a head until 6th grade. I feel guilty for not catching it earlier. I started having depression at 10 also. I now have treatment resistance depression. The difference is that I pray is that with her I heard a voice telling me (I call it the Holy Spirit) when I was crying out one day “GOD WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!!!” I heard “Do what you would have wanted to be done with you”. We got her help immediately and she is doing amazing! She would definitely talk openly like Luca does! As for me, it took 3 years for my parents to get me help. Such a breath of fresh air you two are!!
Luka, I pretty much cried through this whole thing. I do not have any kids that have struggled with drug addiction but I am a mom of a large family with kids ranging from 21 to 7, and they all have their own struggles. I don't know what they may choose at some point, hopefully not drugs, but I want to be there for them if it happens. I want you to know how incredibly brave and strong I think this was! Thank you so much for being so open, honest, raw and sharing. You've touched my heart today ❤
Thank you for posting this. There are a lot of us who that have been dealing with mental health issues with our kids. I so appreciate both of you.
Thank you for posting this. I just watched all 8 parts on tik tok. This hits home for me. I have a 21 yr old junior in college son who is deferring for a year to focus on his mental health and pill addiction. He has been clean for 6 mths but knows being home will only help. This has happened with the help of therapy and group support. You really opened my eyes up to know I’m not alone and there is light at the end of the tunnel. My son and i know it will be a uphill struggle. The part were you said the look he gave you on the gurney broke me. There was a time when my son almost OD’ed at home. My kid gave his dad and i the same look. He knew he messed up and kept telling us how much he loved us. He thought he was going to die. And the look he gave when he found out his little sister seen him he broke down and realized he needed help. This was in march 2020 it took till end of 2021 for him to give up pills and change his life to make a change. I completely understand it was him who needed to say i will stop. Every day he was away at school was torture thinking i would get a call he is gone. It has been the worse days, months, year, of my life. I’ve told him time and time again i will never give up on you and i will always show up to help you and be there for you. Always. You are my son and i will never give up on you. Multiple times my husband or i would go pick him up from school to come home because of the temptations at college and he felt he wasn’t strong enough to stay there and needed to come home. Now I’m just rambling.
Sorry for the long message. But just wanted to say thank you for this. I needed this more than anything. Sending much love to you and continued strength to you son and his almost 2 yrs of sobriety. Thanks you again. My soul feels hope even more than it did before i watched your son and your journey.
Thank you for sharing your pain. Pain is growth not just for you, but for others as well. ❤️
I felt like I was reliving my journey with my sons addiction and mental health crisis. I cried the whole time. Especially the part about calling the police and having your kid taken away in handcuffs. It was gut wrenching. I'll never forget the look on his face. His hospital was 2 hours away and there were times we'd drive to visit him and he'd just yell at us and tell us to leave. We'd go home and do it again next time. He finally wanted to talk. As hard as it was for all of us, this changed us all for the better.
From an 18 year olds perspective, thank you!
That was so brave of you both, and really shows both sides of the same coin.
Luka, you are so brave and strong for a lot of reasons, but so much more for being willing to invest in mending a relationship that you probably felt was lost for a while. To be willing to hear what it was like from your Mom’s perspective and realise where she was coming from is such a big step, and then to keep fighting through everything that comes with sobriety. Just wow.
Kristina, thank you for never giving up on Luka! You didn’t know the best way to handle each situation because they had never happened before. You did your absolute best to love Luka in practical ways and it has paid off!
Thank you for being a wonderful mother and helping in every way you can, even when it’s painful.
Thank you both
I’m so proud of your done for being able to open up and be vulnerable about his mental health. Your an amazing mom despite the challenges
Luka, hrabar si i inspirativan mladić. Sve najbolje tebi i tvojoj obitelji.
Luka, you are amazing! If you love writing, you should tell your story in a book. This will not only help others but you yourself too. And Kristina, I can only imagine what you went through. You show unconditional love and love prevails, no matter what. I love you guys, big hugs from Switzerland
Two amazing people chatting about how hard life can be and giving all of us hope. Thank you for that. We are also struggling... Full of hope that things will get better. Thank you for this video. ❤️
I aspire to be like you as a mother. I'm a recovering addict and have been sober for 2 years...it's difficult living with mental health and trying to balance being a mom of 5 children .my 15 year old son is struggling . And because I've put in the time to get sober and continuously do so, i have been able to help him get better. I hope one day i can have this sit down with him. So proud of your son. It takes a lot
Take this opportunity to reach out to your kids. Identify each emotions that enters you mind at the thought of how that will go and write it down. Honor the impact each emotion has had in moulding you into the person your are today. Even the ones that seemingly held you back. Thank those emotions for attempting to engage you with an opportunity for free will to chose a path.
Like bumpers in bowling lanes emotions don’t want us in the gutters. Really they don’t. Envision bumping up against the negative emotions that will arise if you approach your kids and than set the purpose of the “meeting” to simply engage with each emotion as they arise and choose not to go in the gutter. Bring the cheat sheet list with you so you take out your conflict with the emotion and not your kids or anyone for that matter. Bump up against it and feel a wave of gratitude you recognized the opportunity to stay in your lane and not go off in the gutter. Eventually you won’t need those emotionally bumpers to stay in your lane and even better recognize when others still do.
The conflict is rarely with the person in front of us but with the invisible ego that tags along
When I tell people I climbed Kilimanjaro they reply “did you get to the top” and I say “my goal was to show up because most don’t even put in that much effort” 100% of the time they realizes they weren’t focused on the defining moment I already conquered my mountain. 🏔💜
Probably the best video on RUclips to date!
I cried through this entire video and beyond. This has been me for 30+ years, battling depression alone. I have 5 teens right now, all trauma exposed kiddos I have adopted, all with some pretty significant struggles. I have been battling behavioral health for YEARS, I've had cops at my house, I've had so many things stolen from me, I have not felt safe in who knows how long. I agree, support groups, if you can find them, could really make a difference. Thank you for inspiring us all, making us laugh, sharing real life with us, all while you battle these demons in your own home. You are truly an amazing woman, and I know your videos make a difference for people, this one will definitely save some lives. I will pray for your family, I know how hard this all is on the ENTIRE family. I get it. I live this.