Hi, I facilitate a support group for people with mental illness. Recently a young couple (engaged and with a 3 year old child) has been attending my group. The young man is an addict who has been through a successful rehab. He appears to be very mature, capable, and warm. He has full custody of the child at this time, court-ordered, although the couple do live together with his parents (the parents are very supportive). He is deeply in love with the fiancee. The young woman is so sweet, but is emotionally quite immature. She is using less than she was in the past, but is still using. When she was a teen her mother died and the young woman is still deeply grieving that loss. She clearly loves her fiancee and their child. She desperately wants to stop using, but cannot seem to. She is scheduled to begin rehab as soon as the place she'll be working with has an opening.

Although I have known many people who are addicts, I have never had a substance abuse problem myself. I believe that people misuse drugs because they are self-medicating pain, whether physical, emotional, or both.

What can I tell this couple? How can I best help them? Thanks very much.