I have a female cousin that has been addicted to opiates for 14-15 years.

[LogicSoDeveloped]

I have a cousin in her 30's that is seriously addicted to opiates.
The prescription variety, not really street opiates than I'm aware of.
It has very deeply affected her life as well as everyone in my family's.
She has done horrible, horrendous things for her addiction.
She has hurt all of us in many ways.
She has gotten kicked out of 3 rehab places.

What is the next step?

 

[Lolie]

What were the circumstances under which she went to rehab? Did she go because she felt she had a problem and wanted to deal with it or because other people talked her into it.

You can't make someone else be ready to stop using their drug of choice. You can only stop enabling them and limit the extent to which their choices can negatively affect you.

While either suboxone or methadone might help your cousin get stable enough to quit opiates altogether, they're not going to be much use unless she actually wants to get clean. At 30+, she gets to make her own choices - regardless of how bad they may be.

 

[villian]

In my opinion it would be best at this point for her to stabilize on methadone or bupe and that could hopefully at least remove the shady behavior.

In the end she had to want to help her self.

 

[qwe]

methadone clinic?

she needs to gain stability in her life, and find other pleasures, before she is able to quit. and if she is to quit, she needs to do it slowly.

both of those are what methadone and suboxone clinics are for. you get a stable daily dose, you don't have to worry about acquiring your next fix, and you can basically stabilize your life and not have all of your activities revolve around the drug. then, when you are ready, you ween off. though if you've been on opiates for that long, happiness may not be possible without the chemical... so she may be tied to the clinic for life.

my advice is to throw the general attitude of "people are lazy and feel entitled" out the window, and pay for her methadone clinic. if she doesn't have to find ways to get money for the drug, if her drug dose is stable... her life will change, and your investment in her attending the clinic will pay off financially (she'll eventually be stable enough to support herself; she won't have to steal things if she's done that; etc) and emotionally.

 

[LogicSoDeveloped]

I believe the rehabs were not of her personal choice, but of her doctor, or the family perhaps. I am just recently 18 so I of course have not known much about her issue until the last couple years when my family felt like I was ready to know. She has now left her family and joined a boyfriend in a weekly motel. She won't contact anyone. I really don't want to let go of her like many of my other family members have. :/

 

[Lolie]

I believe the rehabs were not of her personal choice, but of her doctor, or the family perhaps. I am just recently 18 so I of course have not known much about her issue until the last couple years when my family felt like I was ready to know. She has now left her family and joined a boyfriend in a weekly motel. She won't contact anyone. I really don't want to let go of her like many of my other family members have. :/

At this point all you can do is stay in touch with her on a casual basis. Trying to nag or guilt her into seeking help will achieve nothing positive. She knows what resources are available when she's ready to quit.

While you don't want to let her go, don't leave yourself open to being manipulated by her either. She's almost certainly expert at playing the pity card by now and unconcerned by whom she plays it with. Don't leave yourself open to opportunism on her part.