Methadone Addiction: Methadone Facts

Question: Question about methadone addiction?

(Posted by: dray83 on 2009-03-06 05:28:46)

How difficult is it to cease a methadone habit? My brother is 21 years old and he is destroying our family. He is enrolled in an outpatient methadone maintenance program, and has been for 5 years now. He abuses the program, and has begun to steal from our family including myself. He claims there is no way he can quit taking methadone, let alone quit using drugs altogether. He acts as if he were to not dose at the clinic one day that he would land in the ER. We come from a very wealthy family, and none of us understand him. What is the best way to help him. How do you save someone that does not want to be saved. If you say anything to him he gives you a big speech about how "you don't understand. " Why he chose to use drugs is beyond me, he has everything but my family's patience is wearing very thin. He lives in a 2 million dollar home that he purchased with the families money. Something has got to change, and I love my brother and want to help him. He uses mixes his methadone with alprazolam, and from what I hear that can kill you.

Posted by: AskAndYouShallReceive on 2009-03-06, 06:43:15

Neither you or your family can save him. Only he can, you and the family have done the best as far as seeing he was in a program to help. But seems he does not want to quit, he has not hit his rock bottom yet. It differs for each individual, some it can be simple as losing a job, or marriage in trouble, others, their very lives are in danger (as was and still is with my brother-going on over 20 yrs, in and out of rehabs, methadone programs, stealing $, stealing medications, to contracting hepatitis due to needle usage, to infections that almost cost him his life, and he still is not ready to see the damage that is done.) This is where tough love comes into play. I hope none of the family is enabling him, ie. they can be very cunning portraying themselves the victim, or entering in to programs to make you think they have finally 'seen the light', to have food, a place to sleep. All goes well for maybe 2 wks, and you notice the same patterns over and over. If he was truly serious about quitting, he would be in NA with a sponsor who can't be conned by lies and deceit. Methadone programs are nowhere near designed for a 5 year period, and yes, your brother is badly addicted that things are getting worse, methadone is not enough, he is supplementing with other drugs, and the behavior is uncontrollable. You as a family can attend support groups of families with addictions, much like Al-Anon, where you cut off all communication with them, and state you will not permit to see them slowly killing themselves. It is extremely painful to have to cut ties, and it is not being rude, non compassionate towards them, but it is in their best interest. When he cannot depend on anyone but himself for support, a roof over his head, food in his mouth, anything. Perhaps he will then realize he has hit rock bottom. I can very much relate with your situation and that of the family.