[Feiticeira]

/rant
A dear friend of mine is abusing pain killers, and I'm getting fed up with him. He calls me when he runs out telling me he's scared about making it to work. He blows through all his money and can't pay his bills and he'll ask me for money to buy drugs.

I come from a family of addicts and am an addict myself. Pain medication isn't my drug of choice, but his behavior has really been putting me off.

I try to tell him to prioritize his life, making his sobriety most important, but with the economy as it is, it's unrealistic.

I'm just getting sick and tired of watching him make the same mistakes over and over. It's possible this is upsetting because I see myself in him. I'm tired of consoling and trying to advise him, because I can't help him. There's nothing I can do, I have no personal experience in quitting opiates I don't know what he's going through and I have no clue on what he should do.
/rant

[Sanguinaire]

Originally Posted by Feiticeira

/rant
A dear friend of mine is abusing pain killers, and I'm getting fed up with him. He calls me when he runs out telling me he's scared about making it to work. He blows through all his money and can't pay his bills and he'll ask me for money to buy drugs.

I come from a family of addicts and am an addict myself. Pain medication isn't my drug of choice, but his behavior has really been putting me off.

I try to tell him to prioritize his life, making his sobriety most important, but with the economy as it is, it's unrealistic.

I'm just getting sick and tired of watching him make the same mistakes over and over. It's possible this is upsetting because I see myself in him. I'm tired of consoling and trying to advise him, because I can't help him. There's nothing I can do, I have no personal experience in quitting opiates I don't know what he's going through and I have no clue on what he should do.
/rant

its not that easy, withdrawals from oxys suck,

[Leed]

The FIRST thing you should do is NOT ENABLE him. Refuse to give him any money -- I don't care how much he begs. Don't answer his phone calls if that's necessary. He'll never recover if people help him thru his troubles, and trip land-mines for him. He's got to face reality and see what this is doing to his life.

There isn't a thing you can do to help the addict. HE has to do it himself. Until he's ready to stop the insanity, he'll continue on as he is. It's not your responsibility to help him anyway. He has a choice -- get clean or die. The ONLY thing you can do is advise him to confess to his doctor, who can help him get off the opiates/medication.

I wish you the very best. I know this is difficult, but it's for his own good. God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

[madisgram]

I'm tired of consoling and trying to advise him, because I can't help him. There's nothing I can do, I have no personal experience in quitting opiates I don't know what he's going through and I have no clue on what he should do.

the only time change may occur is when he decides to change his self-destructive behavior. we have no control over others. i know you are aware of that, tho you are concerned for him.
one suggestion is AA or NA. you could offer to go with him for support if he agrees to go. plus you may find it helpful too re your addiction.
but what is known is that you and he have to make your individual choice to stop using.
also seeing a doc re withdrawals is important. there are meds to safely come off.

[Feiticeira]

Thank you for the responses.

He's been trying to quit, but he's relapsed more times than I can count. I know I can't control him but I'd like to usher him in the right direction.

Leed your absolutely right I shouldn't enable him, but I don't know what I should do he's constantly in pain. Most of the time I just buy his cat food or liter so that she can be taken care of, but even if I don't lend him money he'll just borrow from someone else.

When I was using I found it impossible to function in day to day life which is what ultimately led me to quit. He's a much more functional addict than I was that's why I'm at a loss for what he should do.

Perhaps some NA meetings would be helpful, I know he's been struggling. I've tried to get him to go to a local detox center, but he only really cares about quitting when he's run out of money.