Drug Addiction: Methadone Facts

Question: Is it ever too late to get a person help with drug addiction?

(Posted by: Stephanie on 2010-07-05 12:03:56)

I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks... My uncle is in his late 50's and he has been an addict for several years. He seems to have severe psychological problems due to his constant use of crack cocaine. His siblings, who are known to be uneducated about the effects of drug abuse, claim that he is "too far gone. " They don't believe that anything would be able to help him... Basically, they are giving up. I can see that he is showing signs of chronic paranoia and schizophrenia, but is it ever too late to get a person help with an addiction? Thanks for the help!

Posted by: Pamela on 2010-07-05, 14:00:17

People don't develop schizophrenia in their 50s, so don't worry about that. It is never too late, but crack is a tough one to get away from. If the bunch of you got together and claimed he was a danger to himself and others (threats of harm, suicide) and that he was an addict, and you were willing to pay for private hospital treatment (about $50,000) and could get him in, he would stand a chance. It would be better to call addiction services in your area who know how to handle crack addicts, and get him into that program. Or do an intervention, led by a facilitator, where the whole family and good friends all confront him about his drug abuse and express how much they care for him. That's all there is, unless a person is willing to try to quit. My sister committed suicide while on drugs in her middle fifties. Our state only allowed for a three-day commitment. Do whatever you can, find out the laws, but,no, it is not too late. God bless you for trying.

Posted by: Ginny Jin on 2010-07-05, 12:08:24

If he is unhappy, unable to function on any level but agrees for you to intervene and get help great If he is happy the way he is, don't bother. I was an alcoholic (until age 38) and glad people intervened.

Posted by: Mom on 2010-07-05, 12:09:32

Its never to late. but u can only help if the uncle wants help. He first has to admit he has a problem than go from their. For the longest time I didnt want to quit smoking no matter how many told me I should I didn't actually quit till I WANTED TO.

Posted by: Sara on 2010-07-05, 12:29:46

NO! It's never too late to help out a person with a drug addiction. Even if they've been using most of their life, people can always seek help and overcome their problem. It can be very difficult if they have no intention of quitting but it sounds like your uncle needs some major help. A good friend of mine was addicted to crack cocaine for a good 10 years or so. She was getting to the point where she was just trippin about everything, I mean always looking out the windows, afraid to leave the house, and she looked so anorexic, like she was wasting away. She thought everyone was out to get her. But she had a 2 year old child and almost got her taken away by social services. So I think that was a reality check for her. Now she just smokes pot. That may not be the best option for your uncle though. The sooner you help him, the better. I think the more people that continue to support him to stop, the more likely he'll feel guilty about smoking crack and the sooner he'll quit.

Posted by: Ted P on 2010-07-06, 05:16:19

It is never too late to get drug addiction help or receive treatment, but the problem is that the addict or patient has to agree to receive treatment. Drud addiction treatment centers cannot hold a person against their will, so if they decide to leave, then they just leave and the treatment is in jeopardy. So, your uncle can get help, but he needs a lot of support to encourage him to finish the treatment, especially family support. Another thing is, drug addiction is not like an infection, you take antibiotics and it is gone, here you have to stay away from drugs after treatment and stay away from people ar circumstances that make you use drugs. Most people are able to tackle their addiction, but the greatest enemy is RELAPSE. Its tough, but it can be done. Good luck

Posted by: jack on 2010-07-06, 19:50:32

I would guess that he uses cocaine because he had pre existing physcological scars, not the other way round. I think we are all rather like seeds that are planted and then grow - sometimes the seed is planted into less than ideal conditions and is stunted - that is painful and confusing - and perhaps drug use follows sometimes as pain relief (as harmful as it really is). He would need to be willing to make the attempt to get better. He might think there is no hope. I actually think there is hope, but it would take a lot of work. If he was willing to do it I would think the way out would be - 1. Get off cocaine and other drugs. 2. Get on a medically prescribed drug (ironic given no 1, I know) like zoloft, to help quieten the emotional pain he is under and give him a base. 3. Speak on a regular basis to a physcologist (not just anyone, but someone who would be a 'substantial' person if they had a degree or not - he needs someone who has worked their own life out successfully to test his own perceptions against). Gradually and painfully he would begin to understand how his own particular unique seed has been twisted in its growth, causing him the pain and confusion he has no doubt felt, he can learn their are real reasons to be easier on himself, he can learn how to use his power of choice to help himself along. It will be difficult to get him to start on this path because in his mind he will have, step by logical step, arrived at his way of looking at things so that any attempt on your part to convince him of another point of view will seem like 'manipulation' to him. My own physcologist advised me to 'love people as they are, dont try to change them, they have to want to do it themselves' so I think the most you can do is accept him as he is, offer you opinions and suggestions as to what might help him, perhaps leave him something to read and think about, and offer to help. After that it is his choice as an adult - but if you approached him something like that I think it would make your love and respect for him clear, and give him information about a possible option he might choose to make. Perhaps if he was receptive you could raise the subject again with him from time to time.