OK so here is a very personal story. A wicked one at that...
A close family member has been dealing with a drug addiction for more than 20 years. Time & time again he's been in jail, through rehab, stolen things from various family members & friends, & has caused so much heartbreak & strife in our family. So many people have tried to help him by giving him money, talking to him, bailing him out of trouble, etc.
Well last year he ended up in the hospital. All the drugs has beaten his body so bad that his heart was failing. Things did not look good for him at all. Originally the doctors didn't think he would live to see the end of the year! But he is still alive. The bright side to this was that it seemed to be the wake up call he needed. He immediately stopped doing drugs, was taking the prescribed medication, living right, exercising, and most of all he was reconnecting with his family. He was doing so well that his heart was improving. Finally after all these years it looked like we had our boy back.
Well sure enough last week he ended up in jail. Turns out he's been back on drugs for a couple of months now. If last year's event didn't scare him into stopping what will?? While his heart had improved my guess is that it's still not in great shape. The fear is that he will be dead very soon. This will tear up the family. So much pain and guilt.
You wanna help because it really is a sickness but yet you have to draw the line & cut this person off otherwise he won't bottom out. But it is so much easier said than done.
Have any of you ever been in this situation? How have you handled it?
I can relate to this story because it's the same story as my own. The lying, cheating, stealing, the loss of family and friends, and finally the loss of my sanity. Nothing mattered accept getting drunk and high. My family decided to accept the situation as it was. They told me to never contact them again. No more bailouts, no more excuses. They cut me out of their lives. Two years after my family cut me off, I finally had what we in recovery call a moment of clarity. "MY WAY SUCKED! I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO LIVE LIFE WITHOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, AND I WAS GOING TO DIE!" I checked into a halfway house and began a journey that still continues to this day. There are four thing that I have learned since I have become sober, Trust God, Clean House, and Help Others, and there is much more to learn. You can't make anyone do anything they don't want to do. My family and friends tried that with me for over 20 years. For me, I believe that it was divine intervention that saved my life, because every time I tried to stay sober on my own, it never worked. I will pray for your family member, and if I ever run into him or any other addict or alcoholic, I will share my experience, strength, and hope with them. I will let them know that a person can live a life without drugs and alcohol, and be happy doing it.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless