Just Found Out My Brother Does Heroin

[Graceprettysmith]

Hi guys,

 

so I have been having a pretty crappy week dealing with my relationship drama..and when it rains it pours...

 

I got an email from my brothers girlfriend that he has become a drug addict. He started using pills and has now resorted to smoking it. She says she found a straw and foil in the bathroom. ( i am assuming it's H?) He is currently in detox until Weds. and me, my mom and fiance are going out to his place Sat. to talk to him. I do not know what to expect and I need some advice as to how to handle this situation. Please help. There is more to this story but I am so mentally and emotionally drained from thinking, talking writing about it anymore. I just need to know what to do.

[jphcbpa]

All you can do is offer help, love and support (not enable), pray for him and take care of you via al-anon or similar program. The bottom line is he wont get sober until he is ready. Sometimes that does not work on our time line. Tough love is needed

[Tiger Lily]

I'm sorry life seems so chaotic right now.

 

I agree with jphcbpa.

 

Your role in this all depends on where your brother is, mentally and emotionally. You can only try to help him see the negative consequences, try to help him figure out ways to reach healthier goals, and be a loving support as he gets his life back on track. If he relapses, not acting as an enabler is being a loving support, though it may be hard at times. In addition to the intervention from your family, I think a trained professional might be able to help by offering more expertise in addictions.

 

But ultimately, your brother has 100% responsibility for his actions.

[M30USA]

Sorry to hear that news. You must be partly shocked and partly feeling sorry for him. In this life we realize that nobody is above problems or addictions.

[almond]

This is scary, but he's still early on in his opiate addiction - this is a big positive. He is not IVing yet by the looks of things, and it tends to end up that way relatively quickly with opiates.

 

Anyway, as others have said: this will all depend on him. Be there to help and support him. Try to hold back on the judgement as much as humanly possible.

 

Try and educate yourselves on addiction as well - detox is the easy part, it's staying sober that's tricky. It would be very wise of him to delete all of his numbers, and not associate with other users as this will only trigger him. He should seek therapy and stick with it long-term in order to reduce the risk of relapse.

 

Be there for him as much as you can. Heroin is scary as hell, but a LOT of opiate users clean up and stay clean...it happens all the time.

 

I truly hope all goes well for you all

[Graceprettysmith]

How did he end up in detox? Did he choose to go, or was it an ultimatum from his gf?

I believe both ways... He is just so miserable and depressed and I think he also chose to go..but I have a feeling he mentally still desires the drugs still..I won;t know more details until saturday.. i am so nervous

[Criticality]

Sorry for your brother. Remember, it's not your fault that this has happened, and the best you can do is to be supportive and non-judgemental.

Subtext or Methadone might be an idea for him, at least temporarily.

 

Relapse is part of the recovery and disease. Let him know that you realize this.

 

Also: Do you love him unconditionally? If so, let him know this, and don't buy into the 'tough love' nonsense. It hurts more than it helps, and is probably the fastest way to estrangement and relapse.