Families & Friends Of Addicts Support Group
Addiction affects more than just the individual. This community is dedicated to the families and friends of individuals suffering from any form of addiction. Mental health professionals are increasingly considering alcoholism and addiction as diseases that flourish in and are enabled by family systems. Family members react to the addicted person with particular behavioral...
In August I moved in with my family since i had to quit working and file for Social Security. Well, I quickly discovered my dad was addicted to opiates that were given to him by his doctor. Even the hospital told my mom that my dad is an addict; however, his doctor refused to admit it.
Now, some say he's that old, let him go. But it's beginning to cause all the things you see in younger addicts. He wants more and more. He can only get a month';s worth at a time and we have discovered he was taking more than he should, so he came up one week short. He got angry. Demanded more, then he got violent. We almost came to blows.
Then he remembered if you go to the ER with chest pains, you get morphine. And they kept him 3 days. The last time he was admitted, they did discover he needed gallbladder surgery. Got him 2 days morphine and a wonderful 7 day script for percocet. When that ran out...he begged and then bullied my mother for her pills.
Two days ago, all the arguing did not get him anything...so back off to the ER. They know he's there now for drugs, so they just send him home.
You know, in 2005 I left my addict back in PA and started a new life out here (again). For 4 years I had my own place, my own life and did not have to deal with addicts. And I do NOT want to do it again.
And it is no different if it is your child, your husband/wife or your parent. It sucks. I have gone back to therapy today to go back to learning how to deal with this. Just like the addict, if we don't constantly put up boundaries and life a life of recovery...we slip right back.
Now, some say he's that old, let him go. But it's beginning to cause all the things you see in younger addicts. He wants more and more. He can only get a month';s worth at a time and we have discovered he was taking more than he should, so he came up one week short. He got angry. Demanded more, then he got violent. We almost came to blows.
Then he remembered if you go to the ER with chest pains, you get morphine. And they kept him 3 days. The last time he was admitted, they did discover he needed gallbladder surgery. Got him 2 days morphine and a wonderful 7 day script for percocet. When that ran out...he begged and then bullied my mother for her pills.
Two days ago, all the arguing did not get him anything...so back off to the ER. They know he's there now for drugs, so they just send him home.
You know, in 2005 I left my addict back in PA and started a new life out here (again). For 4 years I had my own place, my own life and did not have to deal with addicts. And I do NOT want to do it again.
And it is no different if it is your child, your husband/wife or your parent. It sucks. I have gone back to therapy today to go back to learning how to deal with this. Just like the addict, if we don't constantly put up boundaries and life a life of recovery...we slip right back.
Drug use mimics early dementia, alzheimers etc. it can cause falls leading to broken hips and he is a danger to your mom.
I am so very sorry for you having to deal with this. It must be terrible for your mom as well.
If he goes to the ER enough, don't they have to report it? what about a social worker there? go in to see them ahead of time, so they can be called the next time he goes in drug seeking? (I had a difficult older neighbor I took care of, and I worked behind the scenes with the social worker to get him the care he needed)
Addiction sucks. completely right.