Amphetamine Problem

[schmangle]

As a former crack addict and crystal methamphetamine addict, I think i can appreciate at least a little bit where she is coming from. I moved to Thailand and thanks to total lack of connections, had no access to these drugs for years and am now 100% clean.

My personal thoughts:

1. Do NOT send her cash

2. Do spend money trying to move her out of what sounds like a terrible environment. Could you set her up with an apartment in a different city? It sounds like where she is right now is just compounding the problem.

3. She won't listen to people who have no idea of exactly how powerful addiction is. (sorry to have to say this, but that includes you)

5. When I was an addict, the last people I could have talked to about it were my parents

4. The website www.bluelight.ru has a large number of people struggling with all sorts of addictions and with valuable and real support to offer.

6. For yourself, definitely join a support group - I can't imagine how heart-rending it is for a parent to feel so helpless in this situation. From my personal experience, there is NOTHING my parents could have done to help me, and I have the most amazing wonderful beautiful parents.

If you would like to talk about more personal issues, please PM me.

[Chris Lawrence]

Hi BTDT

Sorry to hear what is happening.

Sheryl suggested some Al-anon and Na-anon; I have been to some of these meetings. They were helpful. It was just a safe place to hear others that were experiencing a similar problem to what you may be experiencing. You can also get some strength from people in similar situations as the fact that it is your child can make you question what happened and that it is just heartbreaking in the process.

Your daughter will make the decision on what she does for herself? Not much you can do.

Sometimes in situations like this is the need to learn new strategies to deal with the problem.

Hope things improve.

Regards

Chris

[Ubon9]

Drugs is a big problem,I will go to talk with a private clinic that deal with this problem in Thailand and i will bring her to thailand,sending her to a facility in US would be no help as soon as she come out she will start again.

In thailand you can help her much more.and the clinic will tell you how when the tretment is finished.

Hope everything goes well. Be strong

[Schooner]

People will not seek help until they reach some sort of a bottom. Where that bottom is can be different for each individual and unfortunately some don't make it. For those that do decide to get help, the help is always there if they are sincere. Your daughter sounds like she is not ready yet and no amount of intervention on your part will change that. You cannot restrain someone if they want to do drugs and she will be out of there the first time she craves her drug.

I have known several people who have gone to extremes to "save" there child and the success rate is about the same as leaving them to screw up there life to the point where they are sick enough to change. My opinion is to let them live there life and sort it out for themselves.

I know this sounds pretty hard, but when you learn more about the poor success rates for all of the above suggested approaches you might just agree with me. Personally I believe in helping, but they have to want to help themself otherwise your wasting your time. More importantly you have to let them make the first move. Drug addicts are extremely smart people and they are very good at telling people who love them what they want to hear to get what they want.

I would suggest you learn more about addiction through alonon or other programs and learn how to deal with the situation without becomming part of the problem. It seems to me that the most important part of her recovery is for you to deal with whatever feelings of guilt that you may have over her addiction

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

There are a couple of points I would like to clear up. My wife (not her mother) and I visited her in Portland about 18 months ago. She was staying in a state provided apartment which I thought was very livable. It was clean and seemed to be well maintained. In addition to the apartment she had free electricity, a free bus pass and a telephone.And I believe food stamps. She also had access to counseling.

She has not worked for years as she is extremely paranoid and at times very difficult to be around. Not sure what she does for money but I do know she was picked up once for shop lifting. She is not to easy to communicate with and only answers questions she wants to. She has a brother and a sister living in another state who she was close to when she was younger but has alienated over the years and they will not have much to do with her now. Her mother has advanced alzhimers and does not recognise her kids most of the time.

She does not respond to my emails so I don't think she is ready for treatment. I have let her know that I'm here for her whenever she decides to change. Until she decides to be back in touch I don't think there is much I can do, I can't call her as I have a hearing problem that makes talking on the phone very difficult if not impossible.

Thanks once more for all the suggestions and if things should change I will post and let everyone know.

Thanks

BTDT

[Chris Lawrence]

My Heart goes out to you Beenthere.

[moldy]

Sorry to hear that.

No there is no half way house.

And yes you have to impart this fact the best way you can.

It's along business, but happily people do give up, maybe by asking for help she is coming to terms with problem.