HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
In the past week, I found out one of my pals has a cocaine addiction. And my little cousin (age 20) is a drug courier, in addition to her using more than she has before.
I was in denial when I was told about the friend's coke addiction: "You're kidding me. Tommorrow, you're going to tell me you made this all up to pull my leg." But, I'm not stupid. It's the truth. It explains quite a bit.
With my cousin, it's worse, because she was raised in a very sheltered environment (nice house, two professional parents in home, Honors Student, tennis club) so she doesn't understand how bad it will be for her if she gets busted with drugs on her. Her friends will abandon her and then turn on her if she narcs them out. (I worked with a dancer who got a year in jail for dealing Ecstasy with her boyfriend, and she looked terrified when she talked about her upcoming sentence. And she wasn't a kid.)
I posted this because after growing up with an addicted brother, I ran out of patience for drug abuse. I just feel depressed. In most other cases I rush to help, but I feel like I don't have any will to give any more to addictive personalities.
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
If there is a group of friends that these people hang around with that do the same thing there is nothing you can do. If you have another friend or family members who also cares about these people then make one attempt at intervention with each of these people. After that, if you don't feel like you have the will to continually "save" everyone ele then don't. Other people's problems shouldn't be making you feel depressed, affected maybe but not depressed. I just think you should try to help if you feel like it, and if you don't then don't. Its gonna take more than just you for change to occur in these people's lives anyway.
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Devastating Divyne link=board=1;threadid=11662;start=msg148463#msg148 463 date=1091512656
Its gonna take more than just you for change to occur in these people's lives anyway.
If this person is truly addicted then nothing you say or do will make any difference unless that person wants it to. With super addictive substances like cocaine that person is going to have to really really really want to quit. They have to be dedicated to their own recovery or it won't work.
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
Maxine try the organization Narc-anon, the other drug equivalent of Al-anon for family etc of addicted folks. There is a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge about dealing with these problems which are not common knowledge in society because "It isn't talked about". The local number for Narcotics Anonymous should be able to point you in the right direction. If they are hard to find, the number at AA can give you the number. That is easy to find in the phone book.
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
Boy, can I relate to this topic....
maxine- rest assured, a cocaine addiction isn't nearly as bad as it could be. Heroin and meth addicts are 10x worse in magnitude to deal with to get them clean. Getting someone off coke isn't nearly the battle...
I'm also a subscriber of the opposite ethic- the subject doesn't necessarily have to want to quit to help them, in many cases. Exploring to see if there is a root issue to the addiction can yield insight and a change in direction. Find and deal with the issues(s), the drug use suddenly appears to them as truly an addiction. Other cases, time and patience and being someone that actually believes in an addict can also change their tune. A lot of addicts flip 180 degrees just by having someone that actually cares about them and expresses empathy and compassion. While motivation from within is extremely powerful, motivation towards others can be key for some people. Give them someone who believes in them, and not letting them down can become their goal.
I've flushed a lot of years off my life dealing and helping addicts and I can understand the unwillingness to want to get wrapped up in that whole scheme of bullshit once more.. it sucks all the energy out of you daily and your life as you know it from that point forward is drastically modified. It's extremely painful as well... generally good and caring people during recovery can be the most bitter, nasty, biting and hateful people in the process. Better have buckets of positive energy, self-esteem and confidence to spare... and be prepared to be drained of it near daily.
Unfortunately, to a lesser degree but measurable just the same... it sucks the energy out of you to sit idly by on the sidelines while you watch someone heading into a downward spiral. It's truly a lose-lose scenario and something I truly hate in life.
Against my better judgement, I'm smack dab in the middle of dealing with yet another addict and working towards getting them stable, happy, clean. I have to say the moments in my life with the absolute most amount of personal pain, suffering and anguish has always been during a period of dealing/helping an addict or an addict with a plethora of issues. As there is a human life involved, I can totally feel your conflict since it's so incredibly difficult to turn away...
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
So sorry you're goin' thru this, dear. Monty gave excellent advice. If you do go (to the grps.) find one that you feel comfortable with. Good luck, take care. Let me know if I can help. Been thru this myself as well.
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
Thank you to all for your advice. Mostly it's hurtful and jarring for everyone else involved, because the person with the coke addiction was the LAST person I'd ever suspect. And my little cousin, well, her parents have been so good to their girls, and my own family, that it's hard to understand why she would flush it all away in order to "fit in" with some trashy friends that would dump her on her ass the minute she gets in trouble.
In my family, there's a rogue set of depressive/bipolar genes that strikes- we all guessed this is at the root of the problem with my cousin and brother. It's well-known that many people with mental health issues choose to medicate themselves. I guess it's cooler to be an addict than "medicated."
My problem is being tired of it. My brother has been an addict for more than half his life, and I feel like it's not worth trying to intervene for anyone, anymore. I know there's a person under the addiction, but I've also seen where the person won't do anything real to help themselves until they have to (mug shot time, car wreck, no $$$, disease.)
Re:HELP- Drug Addict Problems!
Good luck! All I can offer is for you to be supportive of your family and friend in need. I am fighting this problem too, but am doing it quietly. The only people who know its a problem are on Stripperweb. So, use SW as a resource to vent and ask for advice.
Also, I have checked out online forums for addictions and didn't find them to be helpful, but you might. They are setup like any message boards.