life help: My brother is 21, he’s an opiate addict. - Help.com

I dont see where that would help him. In our correctional systems today drugs are what moves the money. I know what it is to have someone you love jsut out there hurting himself and others becuase of drugs. But you know something. I learned this from my own sister. If they dont want to be helped, no matter what you do, they will always do it again. In my opinion, let him go. I know its hard, but you have to. Because the pain and hurt you feel will consume you and he will be just fine doing what he wants.

At this point, there is nothing you can do but let him go. I hate saying that and it really s*cks. I had to do the same with a member of my immediate family, too. You want to help them so much, and you can’t jsut let go because they’re family! And you love them. But unless they want to get better, they won’t.

I’m so sorry honey.

The courts may order him to rehab, but it probably won’t help. The way I see it, mandatory rehab is an contradictory at best. This is coming from someone who completed a program less than two years ago. There were people in there who were court ordered and they talked the talk to get through it but really didn’t want to quit and found ways around their tests, used in between etc. These other posters are right when they say you can only protect yourselves from him, you cannot help him or force him to help himself. It doesn’t work that way unfortunately. Communicate to him your decision(s), setup your boundaries for how you are going to handle his using (basically your ultimatum) and then stick to it. He is either going to continue using and lose you guys or he will reach out for help, but either way all you can control is your own position. My heart goes out to both him and the rest of your family. Believe me, he’s not having fun. He’s hurtin’ too.. .