chrisdog01
New Member
What a hard decision. But you did what you thought was the best decision, and that's all you can do. Hugs to you.
He's back!!
- Thread starter standswithcourage
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BusynMember
Well-Known Member
I jumped in late, but wanted to address "something else other than addiction." There most likely is. First of all, there is a genetic component to addiction, but people self-medicate for a reason, often mental illness. My daughter has, I suspect a mood disorder. It's not so severe that she couldn't quit drugs and can't function, but it seems to pop up when she's under stress--she really freaks out and I have to calm her down. She won't see a therapist and is afraid to take medications both because she was once an addict and because the medications she tried made her feel much worse. She is getting closer to accepting therapy again, but it will take time. Which brings us to the question of, do we keep giving them chances even if they are mentally ill? My short answer is NO! Why? Because they are adults and we can't help them. It's completely up to them to get help and in my opinion they won't get that help if we baby them. Part of being an adult is admitting you are sick and getting the appropriate care, even if it's a mental illness. Not to mention that you absolutely can't get better if you use drugs. So I understand why you did what you did, but in my opinion it's over. He is well old enough to make the decision to take any help offered and to live his life as an adult. Unless he has a psychosis, and he doesn't, he knows how to behave and can take control of getting treatment for himself, in a dual-diagnosis facility. He has proven he is not willing.
You did the right thing. (((Hugs)))
You did the right thing. (((Hugs)))
witzend
Well-Known Member
I tend to think that a person with any kind of uncontrolled addiction has "something else" going on. It's self medicating. It doesn't mean it's ok for that person to continue their addiction until they figure out and fix what the other thing is, though.
I smoked two packs a day for 20 years, and I smoked pot every day for at least 15. Let me tell you, if it wasn't so bad for me I'd pick up a pack of smokes today. It made me feel better. For about 10 minutes. I'd probably smoke weed from time to time if it weren't so frowned upon. It was fun and I liked it. But I don't. And I still have my demons. L's dad loved slapping labels on my demons and running me to court. Labels didn't really help as much as realizing that getting stoned and killing yourself with smokes was not going to help. It's only then that you can face up to what will help instead of leaning on your addiction like a crutch.
I don't think you can get an accurate diagnosis of someone who is self medicating with addictive narcotics and always either high or looking for their next fix. They have to quit the drugs first.
I completely agree, Witz. There are actually some "dual diagnosis" detox units/rehabs here and there, or so I've read. But as long as the addiction is active, not much hope on diagnosing let alone treating any underlying issues.
Hound dog
Nana's are Beautiful
Witz
I reallly believe this is true. My best friend has been diagnosed all sorts of things from bipolar on, but honestly......many of her "symptoms or behaviors" can also be drug related. She wouldn't believe me until another addict backed me up.
The last time she "cleaned up" she made it a week. Not herorine this time because her suppliers have all recently been arrested. (gee, I wonder who tipped the cops??) But she has smoked weed and is now abusing her prescrip medications. sigh
She has to want it. And she hasn't reached that point yet. But until she does get and stay sober, in my opinion her dxes aren't worth much.
I reallly believe this is true. My best friend has been diagnosed all sorts of things from bipolar on, but honestly......many of her "symptoms or behaviors" can also be drug related. She wouldn't believe me until another addict backed me up.
The last time she "cleaned up" she made it a week. Not herorine this time because her suppliers have all recently been arrested. (gee, I wonder who tipped the cops??) But she has smoked weed and is now abusing her prescrip medications. sigh
She has to want it. And she hasn't reached that point yet. But until she does get and stay sober, in my opinion her dxes aren't worth much.
