Ability to commit a person against their will for drug rehab

[Alana Marsh]

My sister has a very serious prescription drug dependency.  She also has other mental health problems.  She has overdosed 4 times and each occurrence could have resulted in her death if she hadn't been found in time.  

Our family has pressured her to get help, but she claims that she doesn't have a problem with drugs.  She argued this point in the hospital after each overdose.  Under family pressure, she has gone to 3 different hospitals (one was a rehab center, the other two were mental health facilities), but only stayed for a very short time, refusing extended treatment.

We're becoming desperate.  She badly needs help, and our question is:  How can we force her to get help?  Is it possible to get her committed to a rehab center for an extended period of time?  We realize that the individual has certain rights, but we fully expect her to overdose and kill herself unless she is forced to get proper help.  

Can you give us any guidance?  Thanks you very much.

[confussed2001]

I think we has the loved one of an Addict and to be honest I hate that word, but we should be able to do something to help our loved one even if it means destroying our relationship, because it is already being destroyed the drug user or drinker. There for what more can we do to help them and help ourselves at the same time, because these deceases are not only killing them it is us and the relationship that we have. It's hard for me to say that with me being a First Responder in Ontario, Canada.

[OsGo]

Kara, thank you for sharing your story. You are very brave and I admire your strength. My brother has been addicted to crack cocaine for about 25 years and in and out of prison during much of that time (he's 48 currently). My sister (one year older) seems to have developed a drug problem about 18 months ago (that's when it became obvious at least). I'm not sure what she is addicted to but it seems something incredibly powerful and its literally wasting her away. We were always super close, but have drifted apart during this time.  I think that once I started seeing signs of her addiction 18 months ago, I closed down/pulled away.  I never rejected her and have reached out, but felt I needed to put up a wall because I feel that my whole life I have always tried to fix things in my family and constantly feel the pressure to be the one who fixes things.  Anyway, I think this has hurt hear and she tells everybody that I'm a big reason for all her current problems.  Our father is currently in end of life care and I'm trying to reach out to both my brother and sister during this time, but also making sure I don't get puled in to something I can't handle or will overwhelm me.  In any case, your posting helped to give me perspective and recognize that I can't help them unless they want the help.  In fact, just today I told each one how much I love them, but I'm not sure they heard it or were ready to hear it.  They both worry about each other (even though they don't have much of a relationship).  I worry about them, but I keep reminding myself that All I can do is love them and try to support them.  It's hard but your posting gave me so much strength and assurance.  Thank you and congratulations on your sober life.  I wish you continued successes and happiness.

[kpb279]

In Florida, besides the Baker Act, there is a more applicable law called the Marchman Act. Look it up and read the requirements. This is a more realistic law dealing specifically with addition rather than mental instability. Good luck to you all.

[just1me4now]

I have an Aunt who has some mental problems as well as drugs and acohol. She has over dosed three times in the last six months. Twice in the last month. She is currently in ICU and the last time she almost did not make it. My grandmother is almost eighty years old and has to deal with this on a daily basis. My aunts father my grandpa committed suicide when she was just a baby. The mental illness runs in the family. I really hope they keep her this time she is going to kill my grandma if she keeps this up. I know she really needs the help I just hope this time they will do something about it.

[slgrubbs]

My 23 year old son is addicted to Methadone and Oxy's or any pain meds he can get his hands on. He wanted help. On the days he didn't have it, he became suicidal. Talking about killing himself everyday! I contacted a Methadone Clinic a month ago to get him help. He was put on Suboxin to ween him off the pain meds. He was doing great for a couple of weeks. ..then a week ago he decided to go to a local bar with his buddies, was up dancing with a girl when some guy hit him over the head with a beer mug, knocking him out. Then a second guy hit him AFTER that and broke his jaw and nose. He was put on pain medication for this when they put six staples in his head and wired his jaw shut. The perscription was not strong enough for him which resulted in him finding his own on the streets and he is now back to abusing them! This is very hard on me and my family. He is hard to deal with.
I know now that looking back that I was one of those enabling parents that just wanted to help him get thru this. I didn't want him to die. He overdosed on methadone a couple of years ago and I found him just in time. They said another hour or so...he wouldn't have made it. I have asked God to help him get thru this. He tells me he wants to get back on the Suboxin (which is so expensive) but it is still cheaper than the money he spends on these other drugs! I had my son commited to a mental health institute because he was threatening suicide. He was on so many pain meds that night and was driving. I called the police on him to find him and take him to get him help. They were running his license plate and looking for him. When my daughter and I found out where he was..we set him up to be pulled over with another guy when he left with him. This was a very hard thing to do but it's called "tough love"! They kept him for 4 days to get him detoxed then let him out.
The cops told me that I could write a letter to the judge and have the judge order him to rehab. I know he is having pain from his broken jaw. I know he needs  something but I told him today that he needs to get back on the Suboxin or we are going to have to do something differernt. Of course he didn't want to hear that but I am at my wits end. I hate going to his room everyday to make sure he is still breathing!
I do not recommend that anyone be put on Methadone unless they have an addiction to Heroine. Too many kids are dying from this drug and these idiots that are getting them...sell them for $5 or more each! They don't care that kids are dying...as long as they make their money! It is a very hard drug to get off of too! Dr's are giving them to people with back pain! That's crazy! I really think that we should be able to ....as family...do more to get a family member help!

[gurplegirl]

Hi, I live in Tennessee and my best friend from Florida called me this past Saturday to tell me she wanted to get out of FL and come up here and get back on her feet.  She's been homeless off and on for the past year, she's been on oxy's for almost four years and just continues to go further and further downhill.  When she reached out to me for help to get clean I thought she had hit a bottom and was ready to accept help. So, I dropped everything I was doing and drove down there to bring her back.  I really had no clue how to deal with this kind of thing, even though I am a recovered alcoholic/drug addict myself, I've never dealt with anything like this drug before.  I had set everything up for her to get into an outpatient treatment center to help her with this demon.  But, once she started to go through withdrawals she started talking differently about going back and getting help on her own.  I had a nagging fear that she just wanted to get back where she could get access to drugs and feel 'better' again.  She got on a bus and went back the next day.  Soon after that I began to question things she had told me and realized that she had indeed tricked me so she could go back.  I haven't heard from her and I have no idea when I will.  I feel completely helpless.  I wondered if there was a way to have her committed to an inpatient rehab center, but after reading all of your comments it seems that that's not an option.  Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.