What advice would you give someone who has just admitted to having a drug problem....someone who is no longer denying and gonna get help? advice, encourgement.....just any thoughts?

You can't stop it by trying to stop it, for trying to stop it is as bad as actually thinking about doing it. Replace it with something productive. If you stay so active, you won't think of the drugs, but if you sit around idle, you will crave that narcotic.

All you can do is be supportive and let them know that it is going to be hard for them to quit but you will be there for them to help as much as you can. Be available to them to talk and spend time with them doing positive things. I would like to tell you to take them to church, God can help anyone get through anything. Just remember it is their choice to stay clean and only they can do that. You can't make them and you need to tell them that as well.

They just took the first step, but the questions is are they ready to take the next one, and that's what I would help them explore. If they were, I'd do anything I had to ~ To get them the help they need.

Do not expect an instant recovery overnight. i have been clean 5 years and I still crave especially when I have bad days. Learn what your triggers are because that is when you will NEED that drug the most and you will need to have a plan in place for that. Recovery is a day to day process.. take it 1 second at a time..not 1 day or 1 minute but 1 second.. always remember that "just 1" will hurt you.

I have some first hand advice on this one!!! My ex came to me about 3 weeks ago telling me that he has been using heroin for almost 8 months and he wanted to quit!!! I called a drug abuse hot line and got phone numbers to clinics in my area that treated for this... I made him a doctors apointmen and I went with him... The doctor gave him a perscription for a drug called Suboxone. This drug is a nonadictive drug that tricks your mind into thinking that you are gieting what it needs. If you are to use street drugs while on this medication it will send you into acute withdrals!!! I ended paying 90 dollars for the apointment.... and another 200 dollars for the perscription its self, but I think it is worth it to help someone you care about!!! He has been off heroin ever sence!!! I know he lets me drug test him!!!

Make sure they know that you love them & are soo proud of them for admitting to being a drug addict. It takes alot for someone to fess up. Make sure you never make them feel bad for doing the drugs & keep encouraging them to get help & stay clean. Keep in contact with them (that will let that person know that you still care & are there for them).

Tell them to go to rehab

encouragement and praise when they stick at it its about all you can do..good luck

Congrats, on the first step of knowing you have a problem;)
This is the first of many:)
Just take small steps from here My Advice is to do different things and maybe hang out with friends that don't do the things you are trying to get away from;)
Try Support groups in your area;)
Be open and Honest;)!!
GOOD LUCK;)!!

You support them, i went to narconon n i was there for 2 and a half months. The way my parents, my family supported me..it finally opened my eyes, that was the first time i seeked for help and i never relapsed and i know i wont ever, I've put that behind me. I had my last line of charlie, i knocked on my brothers door and i told him i need to go to a rehab..him n i went to mum n she was cool about it. Not in the wildest dreams did i think they'd be so supportive, imagine..they had no clue whatsoever about my addiction and the kind of support..it made me so guilty afterward.

Tell the person you will: help find a tx facility, go with him/her to any appts, be there for midnight phone calls, and give LOTS of hugs.

they will want their drugs for a long time after they have stopped. eventually they wont want them any more.

be there always they need u so dont desert them,

well thats the 1st step is admitting to it.i know how hard it is .u have to change alot like the people u hang out with if theyre a bad influence. try and find positive things to do so your not thinking of useing. just know that you can do it,cuz if i can anyone can cuz i used for 8 years and only ben sober a yr. and its still hard just try 2 stay focused.i hav faith in u.just know it will only get harder before it will get better but when its better u will feal great.good luck 2 u.

that its fucking hard and its going to be the hardest thing they will probably ever do. They are going to lose friends over getting clean but what it call comes down to is that they will FOR sure have a better, longer, more fulfilled life and meet new friends.

Be supportive and just help them as much as possible once they kick the habit to make sure they dont go back

i have been with someone whos has been doing drugs for almost 5 years now and they wind up becoming tricky about it. the more their caught the more easier to hide it. but ifhes confessing on his own and wanting to quit well i dont think that a rehab is a good way to quit. honestly. simply because if you were really willing to stop doing something then being in a rehab they talk about it all the time men and women alike talk about how it used to make them feel and others. so it can be an easy target to get them back in the same routine. be careful hopefully hes being honest and willl commit himself into quitting. but go ahead and tell him everything how it made you feel when he was doing those things and how it reacted towards your relationship with that person but dont start an arguement because arguing just leads them to doing it again . make sure hes wanting to quit for himself.

If you are not a recovering addict or a cured ex-addict. Encourage them by letting them know they did the right thing by admitting they have a problem. Then you have to strike while the iron is still hot and help them by taking them into treatment. Narcotics anonymous(N.A.) and AA are very crucial at this point. Right now what this person has really done is asked you for help. If you can't do this call a NA hot line and someone will talk to this person for you. Bravo to you for being there and Kudos to the person who admitted for they are on their way to recovery.

please dont give up now you got over the first hurdle iknow it took a wait of your shoulders now it out in the open and people start to know dont let that bit ov fredom stop your persitens on staying clean thay wont learn to live with it even if seem thay might

I would volunteer to drive them to the rehab clinic to help out.

Words of encouragement, be there for them and be there rock if they need someone to talk to. Be a good role for them. That is what they need in their life. My boyfriend is an addict but he has yet to admit that he has a problem.. I believe he knows it but isn't ready to change.

this is not advice. this is just one 12 stepper telling you about program as he understands it:

1. he/she should get into a rehab program if possible.

2. he/she should attend 90 12 step meeting in the first 90 days. if there are not enough NA meetings then do AA, narcanon, alanon, coda whatever, just make those 90 12 step meetings. if he she has a drug problem then the any recovery program doesn't allow alcohol. therefore, he/she qualifies for AA.

3. get a hard core 12 step sponsor of the same gender and ACTUALLY do the steps. don't just read about them. if there isn't a good NA sponsor available then see if someone in AA will do it. the idea is to actually work the steps. whether the sponsor is in NA or AA is secondary and there seems to be more good sponsors in AA. finding a good sponsor can take some time and effort.

getting an addict to do the steps for real is the trick. if he/she hasn't hit bottom then it may not work.

4. print this out and tell him/her that this is not your advice and it is not my advice. this is just a fellow 12 stepper telling him/her how he understands the program.

5. step back and keep your mouth shut about it. as a female you probably like to "help" and fix things but you need to be disciplined. once you pass this info on to the person, stay out of it. for true addicts success in this program eventually ends up as a matter of life and death so this is a serious matter. the program is available. all he/she needs to do is reach out and take it.

if you need more information i will be glad to share what i have. you can contact me at my yahoo address grateful_2_god. the program works if you work it.

also, I prayed about your husband about his brain aneurism that he will experience a full recovery.

Each moment is important. Do not think about the weeks , days or hours ahead. Just strengthen your spirit each moment to keep yourself free of the iron chain of addiction.
Find positive ways to spend time and focus on those.

this is a huge step that someone is finally facing. you need to encourage them that its ok to laugh and cry about this now. for someone to comeout in the open jsut opened the doors to a new life. a life that can help prosper their future without that "drug" bringing them down. sometimes peopel who are addicted feel that they can do anything while on that speical drug...but when soemone can face lifes battles without that drug they can do anythign they put their mind to!!!!!!

Support, encouragement, patience and caution

i have been in a similiar situation to yourself,and the best advice i would offer that person is to tell them they have done the absolute right thing by admitting their addiction,as they can now get the correct help to beat this,also,i would keep encouraging them,by being there whenever they need to talk,

praise them for being honest ,encourage them,support them,but be firm ,getting straight,and staying straight has to become their number one focus,dont hesitate to confront them if you think they are fooling themselves,or being deceitful,be up front and honest,and encourage them to do the same, Ive been straight for twelve years,after 25 of heroin and booze and life still has its ups and downs,not so extreme though,and I dont create the problems or pour petrol on them,life is very good

I would praise them for their courage and honesty, and tell them I would help them in whatever way I could.

Along with the professional help, a clean & sober support group and renewed faith. There is nothing like prayers and faithful study to turn one's life around! Prayers to my friend! :)

Give them all the support they need

Better than any advise you can give them is this: Make sure that he or she follows through with it.

He/she needs a plan as to how he/her is doing to go about this. I highly suggest a rehab facility.

If he/she is in the same town as you, contact your local mental health facility (yes, mental health) and ask for a referral. Let them know it is an emergent situation and find out how soon you can get your friend in for an assessment and possible admission.

If he/she has no health insurance, find out from your referral source what his/her options are. There are usually different boards that will facilitate a clinic for those who cannot afford insurance.

This is the absolute best thing you can do for your friend. Show him or her how much you care.

I commend you for wanting to help make a difference in his/her life! Keep going!

I would say that you have taken the first step to recovery. Admitting you have a drug problem. I would also give encourgement and praise and my support. I would let them now that i am there to help them in any way and that I'm proud of them for taking a step to become sober. I would let them know I was once there and I know the strength and courage it takes to get to the point they are at.

I know how you or the user feels!! Life is confusing dose not make sense and won't make sense listen to those who love and support you!! life is going to get worse before it gets better depending on what ever it is they are going to be getting off of!! I was addicted to OC (oxycottin) and other meds for 4 years and wanted to stop but didn't know how? I depended on it for a normal life or what belived a normal life to be? So I put myself in situations where I was basicaly making it so I would be questioned? Everyone knew what I was doing and they finaly my family stoped me and truly questioned me anf asked me if I needed help? I lied cause i was scared of failure! So it's been a year no rehab all cold turkey and if I could give myself advice I would remind myself what it was like to be truly happy with myself and the life I was living! Go back before you where an addict when life was simple and happy and try to get back to that place! This is your journey and there is no better reason to do it than 4 yourself!! To be able to wake up and smile because you slept like a baby you have regaind trust in friends family and others! You have to want to stop! if others want you to stop and your not convinced it may be that you are half the way there But if happyness iludes you other than when you are high surround yourself with friends and family or those other than anyone who you have used with!! it will be hard to try to remember why life is happy or evetually will be but u need to suround yourself with those who support your sobriety? Watch out for anxiety!! Anxiety is the devil!! The anxiety will make you want to use so that you don't feel like you are going crazy!! Also sleep will illude you when you need it most!! You will wake up feeling like shit for weeks and know one will know how you feel no matter how hard you try to let others know?? Watch out for rationalization? You will try to convince yourself to use no matter if it's a bad day or the best day!! Drop all those that condoned your habbit? Why? Cause when you are around them you may be triggered to use? Even from the smallest of reminder of a time you used when with them- you may rationalize and trick yourself into beliving that they may get you some drugs of condone it? If that's so u can't be around them at least for the first month!! When it all boils down to it life will never the same but it will be a happy proyductive life rembember that if you want a happy life sobriety is the only option!! doing drugs to feel happy or false happyness is a road to death- you never meet a old drug addicted people they are all dead or in prison!

Lots of love and encouragement for the person you know they can become. Approach them with a broken-heart rather than a raised fist. Lots of patience. Be the strong person until they can start to come back to the truth.

Tell that person you love them. Chances are that person does not feel very good about who they are. Let that person know that you are proud of them for being honest and willing to do something about their problem. Just be supportive. :)

Be there for them. Take them to meetings so they will not quit trying.

I would say thats the first step into getting help is admitting it. good job for you. there is alot of places out there that can help have you ever herd of NA or AA its a drug and alcohol facilty with no fee an people with good advice also. I have had simalar issues and talking about it and fixing your mistakes through that period in your life is a big help. Just go get help were you feel comfortable an stay away from places an people who would trigger your addction.

i would suggest they get to a good rehab and i would tell them i will be there if they want to talk - only as long as they are clean and sober - i wont ruin my life by talking to stoners or drunks any more

Something like....You are now on a journey. One that will have many bumps & curves along the road. It most likely will not be easy to travel. Nor will it be finished over night. And even tho it is a journey that may take some time to travel,to reach the end of. At the end of this journey, will be great rewards awaiting you. You will be so happy & lucky when you've finished it, with the help of other's. Those who stayed by your side encouraging you during hard times, to stay on that path. That you will later look back in life. Wondering why it took you so long, to make that first step. And most likely you will feel the want. To help pass along your encouragement to other's. Those who admit having a problem, & make on their own, the decision to quite.......Just remember your rewards are awaiting you at the end of that journey. Kind of like the light at the end of the tunnel....Good Luck my FRIEND :-) ......M.C.S.

Admitting a problem is step 1. If you care for this person, do everything you can to get him/her into treatment.

"you're doing the right thing"

My sister is a former drug addict. Just say that you'll be there for that person. Encourage them to go to the meetings. Listen, listen and listen again. Love them. Pray for them.

To come out of denial is part of Step 1, and the most difficult. There are NA meetings all around the country, several times a day. If you can't find one in your area, use AA meetings. Do 90 meetings in 90 days. Get phone numbers and talk to people at these meetings. These folks have been there and are not judgemental, and very supportive. I have been there myself, and have been clean over 20 years, one day at a time, with help from my Higher Power, and these fine people at the meetings.

Unless you're recovering what advice can you have-not being mean but I have travled the road of addiction mine was alcohol but all the same. And unfortunatly unless you have been down the road it is hard for you to understand where they are so be supportive. If they can not detox they need to be detoxed and someone before me is right get to meetings. If the want to talk -talk if they want to hang out-hang out. You can not change anybody and when non-recovering people tried to offer advise early in my recovery I scoffed "you don't understand" so you may be a bigger help to admit you don't know and steer them to people who do know. Good luck and God's love because this is a tough row to hoe.
hurtzsogood

Anyone can say they are going to get help. Actions speak louder than words. I am an ex alcoholic and drug addict. Yes admitting you have a problem is half the fight just like stepping into the boxing ring showing up is half the fight. You have to actually fight to find out if you are a winner or a loser.

Try to be there for them as much as possible. It is never an easy road and they are going to feel helpless and alone much of the time.

Call STEVE WILKOS show and get help from them. They are helping lots of people out there.

GOD BLESS YOU AND THEM.

You support their recovery. I'm a recovering alky myself, who dabbled in many other substances, and its not an overnight change. Support them, be understanding of the fact that they may not react the way you want them to about things. My sponsor tells me, time takes time, its very true. I used for 11 years straight, its going to take me a while to get better, get to where other people who didn't do what I did are....maturity. Its one day at a time, tell them not to worry about things but take it minute by minute if they have to. They have admitted it, thats the first step, finding their "higher power" is the next. There has to be a God involved with this recovery. All recovering people are miracles, they should feel like it as well. Tell him to find treatment, get to meetings, NA, AA, CA, whatever fits his bill. Tell him to hang around sober people, places and things, its a hard journey, one that is well worth it...I know, I'm coming up on one year here in a two months.

stay away from your friends (the ones who use, even seldomly) You have made the right choice, its hard, i know! But your buddies will drag you right back into it!

Well admitting there is a problem is the first step now all the person needs is your support let them know that you are proud of them for wanting to improve their life and that you will be in their oorner to help them weather the trials that lie ahead. Good luck to them and you!!!