Help with depression and drugs

[Bert23]

My daughter is suffering from depression and her situation got worse because of abusing drugs. I've been trying to convince her to quit for a long time but never listens to me until finally she hits the bottom. She admit her mistakes and be the one to ask for help. I'm planning to send her to a drug addiction treatment centers but I also read on the web about support groups like NA and AA. Does anyone of you have experiences to these support groups? Help me decide.

[Bluefirephoenix]

 NA and AA are a part of group therapy in the detox units. ( or used to be>  my knowledge is somewhat dated)  and the patient is then hooked up with an outpatient treatment center and group as a part of discharge.


It may help for you to contact one of these groups for your own support or advice as to how to best help her.  Perhaps someone from the group might be able to hook up with her and help.

[Blossom]

AA and NA do help, but the individual has to want to quit.  The main way they help is by the introduction of other people fighting the same problem and they work it out together, via all sort of methods.  They are a support system for each other that understand what each other is going through.  A support system of like minded people trying to quit is what it is all about.  They have classes and teach you new ways to handle what was making you use drugs in the first place.

The depression and the drugs work against each other.  Taking drugs can make the depression worse and then when you are depressed, you want more drugs.  It's a vicious cycle.

My grandfather went to AA for 40 years and it kept him sober for 35 of those.  It took him a while for it to sink in and realize how many people he was hurting.  It is a rough road, but it can be done. Without AA, I don't know what would have happened to him.  

AA also has a group for family members (mom and dad and siblings) to help them understand what is going on also. They work with the entire family structure.

Good luck with your daughter and never give up on her!!  You are her first and last hope.  She might not act like it but she does feel it.  She knows she needs you.

God bless...Jenn

[Blossom]

One more thing.   I don't know what your financial situation is but treatment centers can be very effective when someone is taking drugs (not alcohol related). 

These centers are usually located in some unfamiliar place so that gives it the added benefit of the individual NOT being able to just run down the road and get drugs.  The person is in an entirely new environment and learn new ways of dealing with problems.  I have known several addicts in my time and the only ones that successfully quit moved away from everyone they knew and had to start a fresh life where no one knew them. They had the opportunity to reinvent themselves as a person and could correct past mistakes.

It is a very rough but extremely worthwhile road to take.