Help need with mother-in-law abusing pills.

Question

About 6 weeks ago, my mother-in-law (MIL) and her son were forced to live with me because she had abused pills for so long with alcohol. Her other children and family refused to help her because of the troubles she had given them over the past years. She had been rushed to the hospital a few times due to her body being in shock with no alcohol or pills while staying with us. It was six weeks with no norcotic pills and alcohol and she was complaining about back pain butshe gained her weight back and she looked human again so we took her to see a doctor and the doc prescribed her more medication two of them being norcotic. So we told her not to abuse them and she was doing well and we trusted her. Over the course of one night, she had taken and abused several of the norcotic pills. We confronted her about it this morning and she tried to deny it. We counted them in front her and she says the the pharmacist mis-counted them whell they filled her prescripton. When we told her we counted them before we went to sleep shee admitted to taking them. I then asked her if she needed help she didn't answer. This is my second time taking her in for this because she almost died several times from drug abuse. She has no other family that is willing to help her and now she's not willing to take care of herself. Sheis only 46 and has no life insurance. What should I do?

Answer 1

You don't understand addiction at all. An addict will take every pill they can get their hands on. They can't be trusted. If you plan to let this woman stay, you should make it clear that she has to STOP USING. Then you take her to the doc and tell them that she's a drug addict. No narcotics. It's not possible for her to use them appropriately. Rehab is a good idea. Using is not.

Answer 2

well i would have her apply for welfare they will most likely give her insurance or if you can afford it pay for a rehab....you just have to convince her to go.....now thats only short term but they could set her up with a halfway house or something.....i know i great rehab in Allenwood, PA its called White Deer Run ( i spent 28 days there best thing to happen to my life)

Answer 3

she needs to go to rehab now

Answer 4

Joseph if she has a doctor then perhaps you could speak with him regarding your concern about her abusing her prescription pills.  Also there is a group called Narcaon, much like Alanon, that is for friends and family of people who abuse drugs.  There you can speak with others who live with same struggles as you currently are.  There are lots of rehab spots but if the person is not willing to go this will not help at all.  Once she can realize what this is doing to her, to her family, her health (mental and physically) and feels that she has hit her rock bottom then she may attempt an honest effort at sobriety.  Sad but it may even become necessary for you to remove her from your residence, if she feels that she has knocked on the last door of the block it may act as a waker upper.  Best of luck to you and yours.

Answer 5

There is no other answer: She needs help you can not give! You need to convince your wife that, in this case only those that want help can be helped. You have to give your mother-in-law an ultimatum, she can stay with you if she wants to get better and that means no abuse and daily routine that is set by you... Your rules! No exception! If she abuses, help her pack and show her the front door.

Here's the flip side: You struggle to support her habit, have to keep telling her no, she steals from you, causes immense strain in your relationship, and she continues to break your wife's heart.

Again, she won't stop unless she has the will and an ultimatum, you could be her last chance. Do the right thing, help her help herself. At 46, if you can walk talk and have enough teeth to eat you can survive and thrive, but not if those that love you keep holding your hand and holding you down. And last, I know you guys are concerned that she may die if you give to the world, but she may die in your house if you don't, I know, it happened to me and my wife....And we wonder what would have happened if we had forced our adult daughter to make a choice to live. On the aside; you may want to buy a small life insurance policy.

Sorry for being so blunt but you need the truth...Good Luck!

  

Answer 6

One word......REHAB.  She needs to go LIKE NOW!

Answer 7

give her more pills.