How Should I Handle My Friend’s Oxycontin Relapses?
Question by lolpox: How should I handle my friend’s oxycontin relapses?
(I apologize in advance for the long post)
My roomate is not just someone I live with, he and I have grown up together, hung out since grade school, and he is my fraternity brother, so this situation has been weighing on me for awhile. I believe he began having a problem with oxycontin at the start of this semester, though I am not sure because he has always been a naturally private guy and good at hiding when he is high. We had always experimented with various drugs together, so I thought nothing of it when I’d see him pick up the occasional pill.
Then I started to notice his pupils were constantly pinned (for those who do not know, very small pupils are a giveaway of opiate use), he’d leave at odd hours and I’d hear him blowing lines in his room. I had confronted him about this and he assured me it was “no big deal”. My other friend and I had noticed a big change in his behavior, and he was really messing up in school, and decided we needed to tell his parents (we’re in college so he is very financially dependent on them). After a couple of days of withdrawal it seemed like I had my old friend back and it felt great.
A week later (last night) his pupils were pinned again and I thought I heard him blowing lines but I wasn’t sure. I called his mom and today she drug tested him and caught him. Tonight I definitely heard him snorting lines and I got absolutely infuriated. I just don’t know what to do.
I obviously have to tell his mom again (though I hate having to “spy” on my friend), but that apparently didn’t leave a strong impression because less than 8 hours after he got back from the drug test he bought more. I’m tired of watching my good friend throw his life, money and self respect away.
I initially was supportive of him. He called me to apologize for the way he acted and I told him I was there for him. How do I respond now? Do I leave it all to the parents? Do I give him some tough love? Do I always watch him and know where he’s going?
Any help is greatly appreciated. Also, have some effing respect, no answers telling me “drugs are bad”, “he’s an idiot for getting addicted”, or “he had it coming”,
At this point moving out would be a bit drastic. He has a job that can pay for his current opiate tolerance now.
I guess what I’m asking is, in addition to telling his parents, should I get involved? If so, how? Should I throw it in his face after he does some? Should I give him the cold shoulder?
Best answer:
Answer by Kristina
It’s hard to see people you care about in that kind of situation, there’s a number of things you could do, which probably involve moving out, because if he doesn’t get help he will steal from you if he can’t get money, and you don’t wanna be out a computer when you got a final saved on your hard drive cause your friend needed a fix. Rehab is probably the best solution if he wants help, if not, there’s not much else you can do but remove yourself from the situation until he finds the will to resolve it for himself.
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