Drug Abuse

Drug addiction and loved ones.  What could be worse when someone you love is addicted to prescription pain pills, cocaine, heroine or methamphetamines?  And what, if anything can you do to help?  Here are some ways to deal with the drug addiction of a loved one.

As much as you want to, you can’t make a drug addict give up his or her addiction.  Often, you can’t even make him realize that he has a problem with abusing drugs.  Drug addiction is a deceptive illness, and most addicts are convinced they can quit whenever they want.  It’s not true, but that doesn’t stop them from believing it.

Unfortunately, most drug addicts have to hit rock bottom before they see the light.  Your job is to make sure you and your family members don’t slide into that pit with them.

Living or dealing with an addict can be a painful thing, and often you feel alone.  You aren’t.  Find a local Al-Anon meeting and start attending.  Al-Anon is for the loved ones of addicts as well as the addicts themselves.

You’ll get to know people who have been through what you’re going through now, and who can help you.

This is the worst – and hardest part – of loving an addict.  For the sake of your health and sanity, you must get tough with an addict.  Tell him that until he gets clean, he can’t stay with you.  

If you have the funds and want to help, tell him you’ll pay for rehab, but nothing more.  And unless he gives up the drugs, you simply cannot have a relationship with him.

For the sake of your dignity and self respect, you will have to follow through with what you say.  When your loved one calls, repeat your offer of paying for rehab.  If he refuses or tries to argue with you, hang up.

If he comes to your house, tell him to leave, or you’re going to call the cops.  If he refuses to leave, call the cops.  Don’t give him money or help with groceries, or pay for a place for him to stay.  You’ll only be feeding his habit.

Although it’s painful to be tough, you may just give him the motivation to get clean, and save his life.

Drug Addiction: The Scheme Episode 4 Part 3

One family fights to reopen the old community centre, and 16-year-old Candice’s baby is due – but will her boyfriend be there for her? In another family, Steven goes for a place at college while his brother struggles with drug addiction.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Drug Addiction: Brewers win wild one behind Weeks’ homer
DeVoe’s father says a worker at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico called him Wednesday … Investigators say a Muskegon County man escaped a fire, but died of an apparent …
Read more on WZZM 13 Grand Rapids

Drug Addiction: Ambassador Program would teach troubled teens through others’ mistakes
By Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer Saturday, July 16, 2011 NEW PORT RICHEY — The teenager stood in front of Circuit Judge Shawn Crane in juvenile court and openly declared her daily drinking and pot-smoking habit. She was obviously high, the judge thought, but she insisted she didn’t have a problem. As she turned to leave, she flipped a defiant salute at Crane. “It kind of took your breath …
Read more on St. Petersburg Times

Drug Addiction: Hacking whistleblower Sean Hoare found dead at his home
A former News of the World reporter who blew the whistle on widespread phone hacking at the title has been found dead.
Read more on Independent

Related Drug Addiction Information…