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Ability to commit a person against their will for drug rehab
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.
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.
Your daughter is an addict and addiction is a disease.
She isn't selfish or self-centred, addicts lie, cheat and steal due to the effects of the drugs and the nature of the illness. It's also very unlikely that her background or upbringing had anything to do with this.
She does need help, but 'putting her away' is draconian and will solve nothing.
You won't be able to help her unless you can force yourself to be non-judgemental (you have to forget about blaming her, selfishness, silver spoon etc), and you need to put away your anger.
You cannot help her until she accepts that she has a problem. Attempts to pressure her, force her or threaten her will have exactly the opposite effect to the one you want.
You can help by supporting her, accepting her (warts and all), and explaining that you are always there for her and willing to listen. If you are truly willing to listen, she may then start talking to you about her problem.
You could also leave your computer on Medhelp, preferably on a posting about a success story. Ask if she wants to look at the site. she may say no at first but she'll almost certainly become curious.
Imagine yourself in your daughters shoes... she will have zero self esteem (covered up by the effects of the drugs), she will feel worthless, full of fear for the future, she probably feels unloved and now thinks she is a criminal.
Trust me, she needs tender handling right now.
Take care
She isn't selfish or self-centred, addicts lie, cheat and steal due to the effects of the drugs and the nature of the illness. It's also very unlikely that her background or upbringing had anything to do with this.
She does need help, but 'putting her away' is draconian and will solve nothing.
You won't be able to help her unless you can force yourself to be non-judgemental (you have to forget about blaming her, selfishness, silver spoon etc), and you need to put away your anger.
You cannot help her until she accepts that she has a problem. Attempts to pressure her, force her or threaten her will have exactly the opposite effect to the one you want.
You can help by supporting her, accepting her (warts and all), and explaining that you are always there for her and willing to listen. If you are truly willing to listen, she may then start talking to you about her problem.
You could also leave your computer on Medhelp, preferably on a posting about a success story. Ask if she wants to look at the site. she may say no at first but she'll almost certainly become curious.
Imagine yourself in your daughters shoes... she will have zero self esteem (covered up by the effects of the drugs), she will feel worthless, full of fear for the future, she probably feels unloved and now thinks she is a criminal.
Trust me, she needs tender handling right now.
Take care
my daughter has been busted for prescrip drug sales,needles have been found in my moms car and house.~she's been in and out of jail, she has neglected her daughters(thank god 4 their greatgrandmother and father) she has stolen vast sums of money including stealin my moms credit card,borrowing money from family and friends, constantly lieing to people about supposed illnesses she has that she needs money for meds ,she has disappeared for months at a time.
this is a gal who grew up with the proverbial silver spoon, always being given what she wants ,never wanting for anything but yet as an adult she has turned out to be so selfish and self centered.I dont know if this is a cry 4 attention or is she truly screwed up and needs to be put away before she hurts herself or someone else,
this is a gal who grew up with the proverbial silver spoon, always being given what she wants ,never wanting for anything but yet as an adult she has turned out to be so selfish and self centered.I dont know if this is a cry 4 attention or is she truly screwed up and needs to be put away before she hurts herself or someone else,
Yes it is an old post but there are others out there today who are surfing and reading and looking for advice in a same situation.
Hi ojaysmom,
Welcome to the community. It would be nice to hear a bit more about your son and see how the members here can help.
First, this post is 10 years old and what happens is that it will return rather quickly to archives if someone does not see it and I don't want to see that happen. So, go to the top of this page and hit the green "Post A Question" button. It is easy to follow the instructions. Give us some more information and I am sure you will get lots of support.
Hope to see you out there. If you need help, just ask.
Welcome to the community. It would be nice to hear a bit more about your son and see how the members here can help.
First, this post is 10 years old and what happens is that it will return rather quickly to archives if someone does not see it and I don't want to see that happen. So, go to the top of this page and hit the green "Post A Question" button. It is easy to follow the instructions. Give us some more information and I am sure you will get lots of support.
Hope to see you out there. If you need help, just ask.
Please say prayers for my son. He is on med for herion, but now seriously abusing cocaine. I keep trying to talk to him but nothing is working. I feel only God can intervine. I need help
I have been dealing with my brother's addiction since he was 12.
For 8 painfull years I have been trying to keep him alive. He's young, talented, bright young men, but unfortunatelly there is nothing my family and i were able to change in this tragedy.
I have learned to cope, with the fact that one day he might not be around. I stlii shiver though when i think of that dreaded phone call that I might get in the middle of a night with police asking me to ID his body. It is lot harder to help my Mother and my Grandparents to let him go, since they always give him money and shelter, and by doing so, they cause more harm then good.
He is using our love, and help to support his habbit.
As far as the legal system goes... We could not keep him forcebly in a rehab when he was a minor, since we did not have medical insurance, as an adult it is even more pointless trying to gain temp. guardianship. The truth is sad, but after spending tremendous time and money to get the case in court, the judje is very unlikelly to grant anyone control of an adult. My brother had a dx. of bipolar disorder, and the judje still denied me a guardianship. To all of suffering familles out there, I would like to say:
Keep on pushing the legal system, and perhaps there will be a loop found.
Do not get your hopes up though, becouse they will be shatterd.
As far as my brother goes, he was at some of the most impressive programs, got some of the best help, and he took 250$ out of my grandmother's purse today.
I remember the day when my Mom brought him home from the hospital the day he was born. I rememberwhat a proud BIG sister i was, and how much we loved each other. My brother was loast to drugs 8 years ago, and the addict that lives in his body right now, only cares about feeding his hunger. He does not love me, care about me, but most importantly about HIMSELF.
I hope that my little Peter will come back to me some day. I will not give up waiting for him, and loving him more then I love myself. i will not ever accept any of his collect phone calls anymore, or give him 5$ for "McDonalds".
It is exteramly hard for me to think of a possibility that perhaps he is indeed really in need of food. But this is what i have to do.
Tough Love is lot more difficult to practice, then to allow an addict to take advantage of their family's.
I pray every night. Mostly for my Mother and Grandmother though.
Peter is happy just getting high.
I will pray for all of the one's trying to save their loved ones. They are the one's trully suffering.
PS It is almost a copout to say that addiction is a disease.
Cancer is becouse it is not self inflicted. It's a cripeling dissability caused by bad CHOISES.
For 8 painfull years I have been trying to keep him alive. He's young, talented, bright young men, but unfortunatelly there is nothing my family and i were able to change in this tragedy.
I have learned to cope, with the fact that one day he might not be around. I stlii shiver though when i think of that dreaded phone call that I might get in the middle of a night with police asking me to ID his body. It is lot harder to help my Mother and my Grandparents to let him go, since they always give him money and shelter, and by doing so, they cause more harm then good.
He is using our love, and help to support his habbit.
As far as the legal system goes... We could not keep him forcebly in a rehab when he was a minor, since we did not have medical insurance, as an adult it is even more pointless trying to gain temp. guardianship. The truth is sad, but after spending tremendous time and money to get the case in court, the judje is very unlikelly to grant anyone control of an adult. My brother had a dx. of bipolar disorder, and the judje still denied me a guardianship. To all of suffering familles out there, I would like to say:
Keep on pushing the legal system, and perhaps there will be a loop found.
Do not get your hopes up though, becouse they will be shatterd.
As far as my brother goes, he was at some of the most impressive programs, got some of the best help, and he took 250$ out of my grandmother's purse today.
I remember the day when my Mom brought him home from the hospital the day he was born. I rememberwhat a proud BIG sister i was, and how much we loved each other. My brother was loast to drugs 8 years ago, and the addict that lives in his body right now, only cares about feeding his hunger. He does not love me, care about me, but most importantly about HIMSELF.
I hope that my little Peter will come back to me some day. I will not give up waiting for him, and loving him more then I love myself. i will not ever accept any of his collect phone calls anymore, or give him 5$ for "McDonalds".
It is exteramly hard for me to think of a possibility that perhaps he is indeed really in need of food. But this is what i have to do.
Tough Love is lot more difficult to practice, then to allow an addict to take advantage of their family's.
I pray every night. Mostly for my Mother and Grandmother though.
Peter is happy just getting high.
I will pray for all of the one's trying to save their loved ones. They are the one's trully suffering.
PS It is almost a copout to say that addiction is a disease.
Cancer is becouse it is not self inflicted. It's a cripeling dissability caused by bad CHOISES.
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