I was wondering if someone could help. A friend of mine is a heroin addict. He has been in and out of treatment centres since the age of 16 and is now 32. His brother died in a car crash about 5yrs ago and his mother died three weeks ago. He has been to about 30 treatmet centres abroad. When he returns to his home country he uses again or ups the dose of methadone. At the moment he is on 220 methadone and 60 diazepam. He has been to NA meetings but has never followed a 12 step programme. I am in AA and have been asked to help. I am going to take him to meetings and introduce him to people....but he keeps saying he needs to go to a different country to detox. I personally don't think that is the case and just think that is another way of escaping...he has gone away 30 times and each time he comes back he starts again.
Could you tell me what he needs to do to detox and how he needs to do it and any other advise you can give.
Thanks
Kc
Hi Kezza. it does not sound like this guy is ready to quit-until he is ready no one can do anything for him-he has to surrender - you will understand this - from going to AA - only he can make that decision- going abroad to detox certainly doesent seem to be the answer- why should it be any different this time -- nothing changes until everything changes - i dont have an answer for you , i'm sorry-you can bring a horse to water but you cannot make him drink it - forcing him into rehab will not work - you are going to have to be patient and wait till he is ready - he will still be grieving his mother and probably his brother as well - until he deals with these issues - i dont think he is going to be able to concentrate on recovery- grief effects people in different ways-all the best Kezza
I agree with traveling man.
I will add this - you may have already read the section in the AA Big Book about the first step. There is an excellent section that describes the myriad of ways addicts and acoholics try to manage their problem. It rarely, if ever, works.
When the addict or acoholic have had enough, and are ready to surrender to a program of recovery, there is hope. The program works every time it is worked as long as you can be brutally honest and are willing to change everything.
Alcohol and drugs are only mentioned once in the 12 steps. We don't have a drug or alcohol problem, but a life problem.
I hope this helps,
Flyboy
I will add this - you may have already read the section in the AA Big Book about the first step. There is an excellent section that describes the myriad of ways addicts and acoholics try to manage their problem. It rarely, if ever, works.
When the addict or acoholic have had enough, and are ready to surrender to a program of recovery, there is hope. The program works every time it is worked as long as you can be brutally honest and are willing to change everything.
Alcohol and drugs are only mentioned once in the 12 steps. We don't have a drug or alcohol problem, but a life problem.
I hope this helps,
Flyboy
