[traceydees]

Hello-i have an Uncle who has been dealing with prescription drug abuse for years and he is still in denial. We recently had him commited to a Mental Hospital because he was a danger to himself and others. He has only been there for a week and they are releasing him tomorrow. He can barely walk on his own. He doesn't even know what day it is or what year it is... How can they do this? Plus the doctors and Psychiatrists he has seen in recent weeks sent him home with more prescription drugs! My Family and I don't know what to do. He has lost his wife and 3 kids over this addicition and we do not want him to lose his life over it. What more can we do? Thank you all for listening.

[madisgram]

gosh i wish i had some good suggestions for you all but in all honesty if he is still in denial there's little else you can do. you did a really good thing by committing him for help. now they're releasing him...was this a state hospital? rather than a private one? regrettably if it was state funded many times they "slap a bandaid on it" and send the patient home. hopefully others who post will have some other slant to this dilemma. please keep us posted and we're always here to support you. your love for your uncle shines. he is fortunate that you all love him so but regrettably most people addicted don't recover tho the percentage has risen in favor of recovery recently. i will pray for all of you including your dear uncle.

[stella01]

my best friend is the same in denial about addiction, i know how tough it can be watching them slowly kill themselves, i have tried everything to help but in the end you cant help someone who wont help themself.maybe rehab instead of psych ward ? but again they have to release them eventualy & you'll find yourself back to square one ya cant help someone who wont help themself. sorry i cant give you any posative advice i wish more than anything i had some my self this friend means the world to me & i'd give anything to help her but i'v got nothing left accept to hope for the best & prepare for the worst! sorry again

[Capp]

Originally Posted by traceydees

Hello-i have an Uncle who has been dealing with prescription drug abuse for years and he is still in denial. We recently had him commited to a Mental Hospital because he was a danger to himself and others. He has only been there for a week and they are releasing him tomorrow. He can barely walk on his own. He doesn't even know what day it is or what year it is... How can they do this? Plus the doctors and Psychiatrists he has seen in recent weeks sent him home with more prescription drugs! My Family and I don't know what to do. He has lost his wife and 3 kids over this addicition and we do not want him to lose his life over it. What more can we do? Thank you all for listening.

((tracey))
I'm so very sorry that you and your family are going through this ordeal.

Public and private hospital funding have both been slashed...around here we use the phrase, "Drive By Detox."
Minimum stay is three days, max is ten days. Not nearly long enough to truly be helpful.

Are there NA meetings where you live? Obviously you cannot make him go but do ask him gently if he would try it. Anyone doing 12th step work will gladly take him.
You can go to Al-Anon meetings and be guided on ways to protect yourselves emotionally.

Re his mental state. Withdrawing from any drug will do this to a person, and if he was prescribed more drugs to ease his detox then he will have these problems and possibly more...however if you don't see improvement then call his physicians.
Being a danger to himself and to others qualifies for an extended stay for evaluation/observation/treatment protocol with the goal of assimilation back into the community.
It's currently available in my state with referral from an outside pdoc or pcp. I hope it's true for you, also.

An added comment--don't feel guilty.
You and your family have done a lot already, tracey. Sometimes we have to let go and let others--professionals--take over his care. Ask his physicians directly what they can do to help...
You have to protect yourselves first, in the course of doing that, he will benefit also

My very best wishes,
Cap

[bobojr78]

Sorry to hear a Loved one of your's is so sick, Addiction is a PHYSICAL problem a lot more than a "Mental" problem. I have learned about and read about in the past few month's. I have struggled with EXTREME Anxiety since I was around 14 or 15, and I still am at 37. I've been to several Pscychiatrists who have "Diagnosed" me with Generalized Anxiety disorder or Bipolar or Bipolar 2 or Manic-Depression, and lately even with some form/type of Scitzophrenia!! it seems like the Doctors are more worried about what "Label" to hang on me rather than helping me!! I dont have the so called "Panic Attacks", but rather I have Horrible Anxiety from the moment I wake up, all day, until I go to sleep at night. My Pscychiatrist has tried Numerous Anti-Depressants and Benzo's- (Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, etc.) They have helped somewhat, but after being in treatment with them for over 20 years, my Anxiety is nowhere near "Under control" I started "Self Medicating" with Alcohol over a decade ago, and of course it just compounded my "Issues" and soon became a very serious Drinking Problem, and YES I am an Alcoholic!!! One of my Sisters still lives here in my town, and we are VERY close. All my other sibiling's have moved away from here. About 3 years ago my sister was trying to help me get Sober, This was when I was extremely deep in my Alcoholism. She told me to call her rather than go to the Liquor store, well one day I did call her, and she came to my Apartment and gave me a bag with 4 pills in it, and told me that when that Uncontrolable desire to drink hit me, to take one of those pills and it should help my Anxiety enough that I wouldn't have to drink to calm my Anxiety. The pills turned out to be Lortabs, and when I took the first one, yes it did take away nearly ALL of my Anxiety, and I stopped drinking almost entirely!! I thought that the Pain Pills were the answer to my prayers. My relationship with my Family, especially with my Mom and Dad was repaired, and everyone was so proud of me for stopping the drinking. I ********ted them and Myself into that as long as I had some pain pills I wouldn't drink, I even ********ed a couple of family members into getting them for me when my "Doctor Shopping" no longer worked. And I honestly didn't think that taking pain pills and getting other people to get them for me was totally insane, if not dangerous. I could no longer get pain pills from any Doctor anywhere so I relied on other people (Family, Friends, etc.) to get them for me, and it wasn't long before they could "keep me" in pills because they both were taking pain Meds. for Real Medical problems. My "tolerance" for the pills had got so high that if I had them it was not unusual at all for me to take 20+ Lortabs and almost as many Percocets in one day!! I started Stealing them from family, or begging and pleading for them from my family that they started to give me pills that they NEEDED for there Chronic "Real" Pain. They were suffering because I was taking there pain meds that they could NOT spare!! This went on for pretty much the last year or so. I know that I am an Addict, and iv'e been trying to get off the pills for the last several months. I knew I could do it, but I also knew that I couldn't do it on my own. I knew that I needed some "Help" but I soon learned that if you dont have insurance or a LARGE bank account that it was nearly impossible to get help. I wanted and Needed to get on Suboxone or some other "Detox" meds that have been available recently. But only a few Doctors in my area of 50-60 miles dealt with Suboxone. I finally found a Doctor about 35 miles from me and he started me on Suboxone "Treatment" I saw him 9 days ago, got some Suboxone, and I have NOT had ANY Narcotic's/Pain Pills at ALL!!!
I am really sorry that your'e Uncle is in "Denial" about his addiction!! Because by reading your'e post I could tell that he is just like I am when it comes to drug addiction!! Because a whole bunch of my Family members, friends and even employer's knew I needed help, and they have tried EVERYTHING they could do possibly think of to get me to Quit the Pills, but sadly until I decided on my OWN that I wanted OFF the pills there was NOTHING anyone could do for me!! And it sounds like your'e Uncle is the same way, Being Drug Addicts like me and youre uncle, there is NOTHING anyone can do to help, or even convince us that we have an extremely bad, even life threatning addiction!! In my case I had to finally decide for myself and myself only, that I WANTED and NEEDED help BEFORE there was ANY chance of me getting help period!!! And I am afraid to say that until your'e Uncle decides he Needs and WANTS help, there is little if ANYTHING that ANYONE can do for him!!! I just hope your'e uncle comes to terms with his addiction before its to late!! I know ive only got 9 days of being "Clean" and I feel kinda silly giving advise, but I know that I am a drug addict, and I know how an addict thinks, acts and feels!! Hopefully your'e Uncle will GO GET the help HE NEEDS before it's to late!!! But HE has to do it on his OWN!!

[youOme]

In West Virginia we see this a lot, this state is full of pill junkies and doctors willing to give them out like candy. Even my own mother is addicted to pain medication, she's even got to the point where she's shooting up diludes and such. I've seen friends I've known for awhile go from good people to down right junkies. It's a terrible addiction, especially since it's so easily accesible.

It's sad to see that a man who so desperatly in need of help has no where to go without fueling his addiction. It's a bad cycle in the mental health system that people should really consider more often.