I have a 19 year old male cousin that has a alcohol and drug addiction and he is slowly losing his mind. He talks to himself, laughs with himself, makes weird fascial expressions and he gets very aggresive as well. My Cousin, his sister had told me about his behavior, but I witnessed it first hand last night. He came home and was under the influence of something and he wanted to leave again but my aunt hid all of the car keys. My other cousin and I were already asleep, when he came storming in demanding our car keys. When we refused he grabbed my purse and started to pull on it to get my keys. when my other cousin and I started yelling and trying to pull the purse away he left. My aunt doesnt know what to do to help him. We need resources, help on what to do to help him. I did read that in order for him to go to rehab it has to court ordered because I know he won't go on his own. We need some advice quick before he ends up hurting himself or someone else........Thanks!
2007-09-10 06:47:36 · 12 answers · asked by vakaygirl 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
Call the department of mental health. They have numbers for each state so you would have to google it. They can give you some references or tell you if there is anything you can do. Good Luck and hope everything works out for you!
2007-09-10 06:58:13 · answer #1 · answered by mind your own business 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a problem all over America, your family is not the only family that has faced this problem and it is so sad. First, no one is usually to blame, as every family usually blames some thing or person other than the one that has the problem. He is over 18 so he is considered an adult. Unfortunately, if you turn him in to Mental Health, it will be several visits before they actually "help" him, IF they can help him. He has to want help. It is sad, there really is not much you can do except pray for him to see the error of his ways. This is really the absolute best thing that you can do. He has to see it for himself and there are so many things that can happen in-between and I know you worry, I am so sorry that you are going through this. If you turn him into police, he may end up with a record. If you do nothing he may end up hurting himself or others. It is a decision your family must make. I think if he is trying to drive while drinking, I would get the law involved. I think I would tell him if he does not change his ways, you will contact authorities to help.
2007-09-10 14:06:15 · answer #2 · answered by zimmyslady 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of the respondents here have mentioned that you may be looking at a mental health disorder. Borderline personality disorder is very common in alcoholics and drug addicts. This is not dependant on them being high at the time. Some old AA members call it "wetbrain" and it can persist well after any addiction is gone.
Other possibilities are also there. My wife's cousin is bi-polar and had been self medicating for years before it was diagnosed. It took quite awhile to convince him of the need for his medication but he's staying with it now, and you wouldn't know he was the same person that acted so bizarre when he was unmedicated and under the influence.
A mental health clinic may be helpful to you, but just like AA, they can't change him, he must do that himself. Good Luck.
2007-09-10 15:43:19 · answer #3 · answered by Greg I 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to stage an intervention when he isn't high and can understand what you are saying. Get his family and friends to tell him exactly how they feel and how it is hurting them as well as the addict. Be as direct and honest as possible. Don't sugar coat it.
You MUST all stop enabling him.That means you cannot give him money or provide alibis for him when he misses work or school. He cannot drive a car. His family will have to put him out if he won't get help. He will have to hit rock bottom before he will do anything about his addiction.
Talk to a Dr.also. It sounds like he may already have damaged his brain.
2007-09-10 13:55:15 · answer #4 · answered by notyou311 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sadly seems that it is a mental health issue now.
I have heard that you need a court order(even in my country) to get rehab.
You may not have to go down this road just yet.
ARe you able to phone a drug counseller or information line.
We have them in the country where I live in.
Not sure where you are but you should be able to get some help from a drug Counseller.
It sounds as though the drugs have now affected him mentally and maybe suffering from some type of pyschoses now.
There is help available. Please don't lose heart.
You need to take action pretty quickly though.
Please be patient with him though and try not to aggrevate him.
Stay close to your aunt and cousins - they sound as though they could do with your support right now.
you sound like a top person(very caring and kind).
Try to get help from a Drug Counseller asap.
Best of luck!
2007-09-10 14:17:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, he is over 18 years old. However, his parents could make a appearnce in a court and ask the judge to mentally disqualify him . So he won't be able to make decissions . Than seek mental health profession. Not sure if I give the best advice. But I think it might be wise to look into it. Good luck. First a person needs to acclaim ownership of being an alcoholic.
2007-09-10 13:53:10 · answer #6 · answered by angelikabertrand64 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i am so sorry to here that your family is going through this i went through the same thing with the father of my child he had a very bad drug problem he began getting very abusive and became a threat to him self as well as others i was so scared for him and i didn't know what to do one night i came home from work and he was a mess high on PCP and who knows what else but he was hallucinating and beat me pretty badly while i was pregnant i just barely made it out of the house to the neighbors i had to call 911 and the police came i was at a loss as far as what to do i knew the cops wold just hold him over night and release him so i lied and told them that he was skitzo and was having a breakdown and they took him to the pshyc ward of a near by hospital for evaluation and kept him there till they got him clean and on the right track i know ling wasn't the right thing to do but it was the only way i could think of to get him help and its been almost 3 years and till this day hes still clean i really hope this helps your family i know its hard to see a loved one like that and feel so helpless good luck
2007-09-10 14:10:57 · answer #7 · answered by @!#$%^ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2 words - Alocholics Anonymous. Call an AA help line in your area, and tell them what is going on. Often times, they will send someone over to talk to you, and his family if they desire. You might also look into doing an intervention with the assitance of a drug and alcohol counselor. The important thing to remember is that as much as you would like to, you simply have no control over what he does, unless he does something illegal, in which case you could call the police. You and your family need to protect yourselves, and set boundaries to make sure he doesn't hurt any of you, and also to make sure that you are not enabling him in any way. It is an extremely hard thing to go through - you need to have someone to help you out. Also, pray for him - I will too.
2007-09-10 13:56:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even if the court orders him to rehab, it won't do any good until he is ready and willing to help himself. You may have to wait for him to hit rock bottom before he reaches that point.
2007-09-10 13:53:12 · answer #9 · answered by smartypants909 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Notify the police next time he drives away drunk. They should try to get him on a DWI charge or possession. He will be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor (first offense)?? Then, hopefully he will get some help.
2007-09-10 14:36:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋