Opioids Help talk a friend out of use

[Justlooking529]

Hey guys,

A close friend of mine has been playing around with opiates and I worry for him. I've seen many people start out taking vics or percs and end up wreaking their lives and I don't want him to go down that path...
I've tried explaining to him that opiates are different from the other things he's messed with but he doesnt seem to want to believe me. He thinks he "can stop whenever" and that he's safe because he only does it 2-3 days a week.

I was hoping that maybe some of you guys who've experienced a little more than I have can chime in here and give some insight on the matter.. Then I can show him this thread and have him read first had what opiate use leads to.

I really appreciate any input.

Thanks

 

[Bliss26]

Have him read
Monkey on My Back in the Best of Bluelight. It's the best thing I've ever read .

 

[dirzted]

No matter how much stuff you show, it's still up to HIM, and only him to make the decision.

Not to be pessimistic, this is definitely a very courageous thing to do, but at the same time, try to keep that in mind.

I second the above poster^^^.

 

[Colonel Contin]

Unfortunately, it can be nearly impossible to impart any intimate knowledge regarding pitfalls of opiate use via cautionary tales/horror stories alone. You'd be hard pressed to find an opiate addict that was ignorant to the risks involved prior to becoming physically dependent. You can preach all you want about the potential of opiates to breed dependency and subsequently deconstruct/decommission the life of a user, but until somebody has been there, all of this is easy to ignore. Most people (myself included) believe they are in control of their habit until they are swimming helplessly in the thick of it, and can, even then, continue to justify using.

I still can't bring myself to make some blanket condemnation regarding the general use of opiates or even naive-user-experimentation with opiates, but I will say that if I could step into the past I'd try and talk some sense into myself. I might have listened to 'future-me' (I sure as shit wasn't taking a poll )

 

[Freon]

It's really all up to him and there's really nothing you or anyone can tell him that will make him stop unless he chooses to do so. I heard so many horror stories about heroin, meth, and crack in rehab as a teenager and guess what, I still abused the hell out of all three. People are gunna do what they want but I hope it works out for him, sounds like the same path we all know too well though.

 

[Applejacks27]

direct him to this site, tell him to read around on the support sections. but like others have said, it's up to him.

 

[Screaming_Skull]

You can just show him some of the post on this site, maybe that will help...not to sound, don't know the word, but he's already using 2-3 times a week, which means he really likes it and thinks he can get away with it not doing it everyday(thats how I started, would get like 15 Lortabs for 2 or 3 days, then a Methadone Wafer(big jump,lol) every week, or most every week and would just say wouldn't use everyday. See how that turned out, it been 10 years or close to it. Anyway, people are gonna always think they have it under control, then all of the sudden it sneaks up on them, nothing you can do really but warn, and, lets be honest...did anybody here listen to the warnings coming from everyone when they started?

 

[laCster]

you will never be able to successfully convince your friend not to use. unfortunately if the ball has already started rolling, it wont stop until it hits a wall (death or cognitive changes such as abstinence)

 

[neversickanymore]

I would email a link for this to them. It really is so spot on it amazing.

Highly relevant:

 

[Screaming_Skull]

Whoa, what a good video that describes it perfectly(opiates in general). Too bad it just kinda made me wanna get high though....

 

[Stotched]

You will never convince him. I knew damn well what I was getting into when I got into opiates. I truly believed I had the willpower to quit whenever, and even read up on the withdrawal symptoms, thinking that a bad flu for a week wouldn't be so bad.

Well, it's nothing like the flu, it's about a thousand times worse. And the physical WD aint even the worst of it. It's the PAWS. For months after he stops, if he becomes physically dependant, he will be depressed, anxious, unable to sleep, and find absolutely no joy in life. I can go a month or two clean no problem, but always end up relapsing due to the fact that I just cannot feel happy without opiates anymore. They literally change the way your brain feels happiness. He will not stop unless he wants to. No one wakes up and says " I wanna be a junkie", it just slowly sorta happens.

 

[phatass]

if he's decided to try them, get him to take codeine/promethazine, if he says twice a week, you'll be able to point out that his use is going up, and might make him realise the "slippery opiate slope"

also get him to watch "black tar heroin, the dark end of the street" documentary on youtube, should def put him off heroin and the needle... for now

What drugs is he used to or has done? weed, shrooms, MDMA probably

 

[JackiePeyton]

Requiem for a Dream

 

[downerhead]

It seems your friend has already made up his mind and started down the path.Nothing you can really do except be there for him and help him out when he gets really strung out and is ready to quit.That and watch your money and valuables around him as his addiction escalates.Junkies are capable of doing some really fucked up stuff to the people closest to them.