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jlmiracle

My friend is a Junkie

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This is unfortunately a serious post. A friend of mine has been shooting up cocaine now for several months. He used to weigh about 215lb now weights about 140. He has had a problem with this but kicked it (in jail) 8 years ago, but started again. A few of his friends have spoken with him, and I was not nice about it, I basically said your killing yourself and how can you do that to your family, etc.

He said when he is ready to get help he will and then says he wishes he could do this socially. OMG! He cannot be reasoned with. One "hotline" told us that basically if he doesn't want help, then walk away cause he will only hurt you more.

Is there another option? Anyone?

Judy:(
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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Cocaine is not physically addictive. You can become mentally dependant on it though. He's not a junkie, he's weak willed or doing it willingly. Are you sure it's coke? I've known quite a few hard core drug abusers, but never anyone injecting cocaine. More likely it's meth-amphetamine, which IS physically addictive, even more so than heroine. If he doesn't want to stop, nothing you say or do will change his mind. As hard as it might be, write him off.

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Cocaine is not physically addictive. You can become mentally dependant on it though. He's not a junkie, he's weak willed or doing it willingly. Are you sure it's coke? I've known quite a few hard core drug abusers, but never anyone injecting cocaine. More likely it's meth-amphetamine, which IS physically addictive, even more so than heroine. If he doesn't want to stop, nothing you say or do will change his mind. As hard as it might be, write him off.



DUDE!!!!!!!!!! You need to check your sources!!!!! Cocaine is damn addictive and believe me, cocaine can be mainlined (injected). For further reference, injecting anything into your veins is NOT social/recreational use of drugs. If snorting the thing didn't do it for ya, it's a problem. I hope you don't work in the addicitons field.

Marz

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Did I just kill another thread?

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Cocaine is damn addictive and believe me



Psychologically, yes, not physically

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cocaine can be mainlined



Yes, it can, but it's not that common since the desired effect of injection (fast intense onset) you can get from crack.



It's often combined with heroin and injected. That's how John Belushi went. The slang for it is a "speedball".

Chronic meth use usually leads to psychosis. A full intervention by everybody who cares about the addict, and everybody that he still cares about is the only really long-term effective method I've ever seen.

He comes home to a surprise party of everybody who has meaning in his life telling him they are going to drop him off at a residential care facility.

Good luck with it. And yes, Do not be an enabler.

JP

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He comes home to a surprise party of everybody who has meaning in his life telling him they are going to drop him off at a residential care facility


It was just me and my mom when we "went after" my brother. No threats of residential care, we just told him that he was going to die if he kept using meth, and if he died from it neither one of us was going to be at his funeral.

That was a few years ago. Although it was a difficult thing to do I'm very glad we did it. My niece is a beautiful little girl and she wouldn't be here if we hadn't.

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Hi Judy,

Sorry to hear about your friend. I can understand what you are going through. My sister has had a serious drug problem for over 15 years - the last 3 have been with heroin. She has been in and out of jail, stolen from her job, family, and friends in order to support her habit. Our family has gone through the ups and downs, wishes and hopes that she will recover. We've tried to help - mostly just enabled her. She has 3 children who are now split between different family members (very sad). All and all it's very emotionaly draining. The one thing that we have all learned is that the only thing we can do is pray for her. She is the only person who can over- come this, and she has to want to do it. The same goes for your friend... until he is ready, you can either frustrate the heck out of yourself, or you can let your friend know that you love and care about him and pray that he will have the strength to over come this.

If you want to talk further, please feel free to PM me.

Best of luck, gia

Raddest ho this side of Jersey #1 - rest in peace brother
Beth lost her cherry and I missed it
.... you want access to it, but you don't want to break it.

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I'm sorry, but there is not another option. Until the addict is ready they will not be able to quit. Addiction is really insidious and ugly. Most people simply die from it. Pray for him. If possible get him to treatment. I wish I had the magic words. PM if you like.
L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock

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One "hotline" told us that basically if he doesn't want help, then walk away cause he will only hurt you more.

Is there another option? Anyone?



You could try a physical intervention, but that takes a lot of people, time, money (for the rehab) and doesn't usually work because it wasn't voluntary.

Short of your friend becoming willing to be helped, you are only enabling him. The "hotline" is correct. As much as it may hurt, if he is not willing to get well and treat his disease with a recovery program of some sort, you should seriously consider cutting off all support and contact. If he really wants help, he'll find it.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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Cocaine is damn addictive and believe me

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Psychologically, yes, not physically

Hmmm, I had heard that they used to think it wasn't physically addictive, but in recent years the medical community now believes cocaine IS physically addictive...They identified some chemical pathway in the brain I think...I'd have to look that up to be sure.
Speed Racer
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Well, I'm not going to debate about it in this thread even though I have some personal experience in the matter. The advice stands though, and I don't see anyone disputing it. Unless they're ready to quit, not much you can do. You can try an intervention, but I highly doubt that will do any good on anyone who thinks they can stop main lining and just use it socially. The unfortunate truth is there isn't much you can do as their friend.

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FYI, to everyone, and this is fact:

"Cocaine is known to be the most addictive substance in the world. It is the only drug that animals have been known to dose themselves to death."

I have my sources.

"Make your plans dark and as inpenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" -Sun Tsu

rocket

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Even if you manage to successfully intervene, he will most likely go back into remission after a few months.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

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The quickest thing you can do is help his support community to remove support, so that he reaches rock bottom sooner instead of later.

If he reaches it sooner, he may still think that stealing and violence are going too far, and decide to get help.

Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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