THE mum of a former heroin user from Taunton hopes to set up a support group in the town for the friends and family of addicts.

Speaking to the County Gazette anonymously as part of our Zero Tolerance campaign, she recalled the devastating details from when her son became addicted aged just 16.

She said: "When my son was on heroin it was an absolutely horrendous experience.

"There is nothing you can do because you are living with someone who wants to kill themselves.

"The only thing you can do is help yourself.

"Having gone through a situation where I have driven my son around looking for needles and boiled them up for him, I can say I have done things that I never believed I would be doing.

"At one point I really thought it would be better if he died.

"As a parent you have no-one to talk to and there is a great sense of where did I go wrong?' "Drugs change people and they become extremely manipulative.

"They are utterly ruled by these drugs."

But the mother said the situation suddenly changed one day when her son overdosed.

"He was admitted to hospital where a doctor from Glasgow was extremely helpful.

"My son got through it thanks to his ability to tell me what he wanted and through help from the Drug Action Team.

"I gave up my relationship and concentrated on giving my time to him.

"I think that a lot of people who have children on drugs think that they must have caused it.

"I thought I was enabling him.

"I gave him money and I stuck with him but you are just totally powerless."

Now that her son has been clean for four years and has a steady job, she wants to help other families who need support in the area.

If you are interested in helping with the setting up of a friends and family support group, please contact the County Gazette newsroom on 01823-365100 or you can e-mail us at newsdesk@county gazette.co.uk