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Suggest Treatment For Depression, Heroin And Narcotic Addiction
Question: my son used heroin...in therapy, smokes pot. Says he can't seem to decide what to do next, says he 'is a blank canvas'. He's not currently using, what does he do from here?
Brief Answer:
Cannot say in his particular case and...
Detailed Answer:
There are several key points about addiction.
There is the plain intellectual. Making the simple case that IV drug abuse is dangerous and bad is an important point. It is even more of an important point if the person's decision making capacity is NOT compromised.
1) Risk of infections (skin, viral, heart)
2) Risk of overdose and unreliability of quality control
3) Risk of drug dependence, loss of freedom, having to always use
4) legal risks.
Emotional points. One has a better life without it.
Then, there is management of relapse prevention. There is long acting narcotic blocker (naloxone pen) that someone can take. NOT be addicted to narcotics and any narcotics someone takes are blocked from doing anything.
Also 12 step programs, counseling, perhaps antidepressants are other modalities that can be of help.
Cannot say in his particular case and...
Detailed Answer:
There are several key points about addiction.
There is the plain intellectual. Making the simple case that IV drug abuse is dangerous and bad is an important point. It is even more of an important point if the person's decision making capacity is NOT compromised.
1) Risk of infections (skin, viral, heart)
2) Risk of overdose and unreliability of quality control
3) Risk of drug dependence, loss of freedom, having to always use
4) legal risks.
Emotional points. One has a better life without it.
Then, there is management of relapse prevention. There is long acting narcotic blocker (naloxone pen) that someone can take. NOT be addicted to narcotics and any narcotics someone takes are blocked from doing anything.
Also 12 step programs, counseling, perhaps antidepressants are other modalities that can be of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
He refuses antidepressants. Sees his therapist a few times per month.
States: 'I'm not killin' myself and I don't want to. I'm just left with a blank canvas and it's time to paint; but I got nothin'. I love you no matter what. And I'll work my demons out in their time'.
Will he work them out? or is he destined to have heroin coming in and out of his life hereafter? Does he need inpatient counseling etc?
As his mother, is there anything else I can do at this point aside from professing antidepressants?
States: 'I'm not killin' myself and I don't want to. I'm just left with a blank canvas and it's time to paint; but I got nothin'. I love you no matter what. And I'll work my demons out in their time'.
Will he work them out? or is he destined to have heroin coming in and out of his life hereafter? Does he need inpatient counseling etc?
As his mother, is there anything else I can do at this point aside from professing antidepressants?
Brief Answer:
I can see this is a difficult situation.
Detailed Answer:
In heroin and narcotic addiction, I truly do not know if counseling and 12 step programs matter. The overall life situation certainly does; and that changes fundamentally due to time. First is establishing safety (which means off of IV heroin and methadone clinic, suboxone are better. At least having clean needles, bleach to clean them and a naloxone rescue pen).
Then establishing where someone wants to go in life.
http://www XXXXXXX edu/gsc/forms/mi_rationale_techniques.pdf
these are some conversational techniques that can be helpful.
Personally I am not a fan of tough love/ interventions/ etc.
I can see this is a difficult situation.
Detailed Answer:
In heroin and narcotic addiction, I truly do not know if counseling and 12 step programs matter. The overall life situation certainly does; and that changes fundamentally due to time. First is establishing safety (which means off of IV heroin and methadone clinic, suboxone are better. At least having clean needles, bleach to clean them and a naloxone rescue pen).
Then establishing where someone wants to go in life.
http://www XXXXXXX edu/gsc/forms/mi_rationale_techniques.pdf
these are some conversational techniques that can be helpful.
Personally I am not a fan of tough love/ interventions/ etc.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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