post replypost new topic
A Sisters Love For Her Brother


Posts: 20
Joined: March 4, 2012


Posted: March 9, 2012, 5:44 AM
Once upon a time there was a Sister & her younger Brother, so young & happy & full of Big Dreams. Unfortunately as they grew up things began to change as their age began to change. Their parents got divorced when they were ages 8 & 5. Following the divorce, they moved to another state to be closer to their Mother's Family. The Divorce was taken differently, the big sister was happy & enjoyed her move closer to her Mothers Family. While the younger brother didn't quite understand why the divorce happened and felt torn between his Mother & Father. That year of the move, they entered a new school and found out that the younger brother had ADHD. This started what I believe the beginning to a life of feeling out of place, low self esteem and a battles with medication to help the ADHD. As a big Sister watching & listening carefully to what my younger brother was going through, I began to see at such a young age my little brother hurting inside, feeling confused and out of place because he was called out of classroom to take his Ritalin for ADHD and always felt like something was wrong with himself. I truly believe his ADHD is what set him up for a rough road of struggles with Addiction.

I can only speak from what I witnessed. After years of my Mother battling with him to take his Ritalin to help his ADHD, he finally grew up and it was time for him to go to college. He wanted to go away to College & he did. My Mother could no longer watch every move he made and couldn't be on top of his medication for his ADHD. So as the story goes, My little Brother was free. In College and now able to do as he pleased. I really felt like it was bird who was let out his cage to fly free for the very first time. As we all know, College is full of all kinds of experiences. Unfortunately for my Little Brother those experiences are what led him to the road of experimentation...Alcohol, drugs & just freedom to do as he pleased. After graduating college myself, I accepted a position at Special Education School. We attended numerous Seminars that discussed the connection of Children with ADHD and teen & adult years turning into Addiction of many kinds, Obsessive Compulsive Gambling and crime ridden lives. I remember the speakers stating that a child with ADHD can have extremely low self esteem and always feel like they don't fit in because they never feel right inside and they know they need medication to make them feel normal or behave and act like they are supposed to. This in return can result in an Adult with ADHD that never feels that sense of normalcy and so in return they try to make themselves feel right by self medicating. The question is when will they ever feel right??? Well for my little Brother he went through various stages, drinking & who knows what else just to fit in and be one of the cool guys, to pledging in a Fraternity to feel a sense of being accepted and fitting in. Then after graduating college moved onto Bigger & Better. Getting jobs in the Financial Industry, being surrounded by Big Shots and Big Problems, drugs, drinking, pill popping and extreme pressure...eventually all that Big Stuff ended himself in Rehab...he was in and out Rehabs quite a few times...The absolute first time I realized wow my little brother really, really needed help is when he came one day to pick me up to take me to a car show that my husband was in...I was about 7 months pregnant and he was driving a little crazy and I felt something was off...I remember thanking God that I got to that car show safely! As we were walking around the car show I remember taking a picture with him and putting my arm around his waste/stomach and felt this huge patch...I didn't say anything at that moment, I just panicked inside and thought to myself " Oh my gosh, my little brother has a serious problem"!!! I went home that nite with my husband and did major research online, sure enough it was a morphine patch he was wearing...I was so angry that he drove me around with me being pregnant but at the same time I was so sad!!! Shortly after that my Mother confronted him about patch and suspected pill popping...this is where all the detox began...I welcomed him into my home to detox in my large master bathroom with huge spa tub...I wanted to do whatever I could to save him, to stop him from hurting himself!!! I hurt watching him hurt...it took me back to time when he was diagnosed with ADHD and he used to get so upset at taking his medication because he would say it made him feel sick...I remember feeling sooooo bad for him and I wanted so badly for my little brother to be free of his ADHD...The absolute bottom for me & my family was 2 years ago he had moved, said he was coming clean on his own terms; he was taking methadone from a clinic & living in sober house.. During this time our Grandfather passed away and my brother had no choice but to attend the Funeral...I can still remember that day like it was yesterday, he showed up at church for funeral service, extremely over weight and sweating like crazy and my Uncle asked him how he was doing and he turned to him and said "Honestly not good at all". I felt so sick in my stomach, here I was looking at my brother who used to be this extremely handsome, bright outgoing guy and somehow he had turned into an absolute addict...after the funeral I approached my Parents & Grandmother and told them that I was extremely scared that we were going to loose him!!! I knew that saying the person has to hit rock bottom but this was my little brother who needed help so badly!!! I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try...my grandmother agreed to put him into a really good rehab and he agreed as well...well as most of you know Rehab can only work if you are ready and willing to make it work...I knew there was a chance he could go back to old habits but at least I could sleep at night knowing I saved his life at that moment...sure enough it wasn't the end of addiction...Its been 7 Years of detox, different kinds of rehabs, new jobs, moving from place to place, battling different addictions and worst of all the last time he was caught stealing from my Mother & Step Father to support his habit...This time for me & our family was the absolute worst of the worst, stealing, lying and totally out of control....Since my brother started his drug addiction, I have tried to educate myself about addiction, different drugs and how to help your loved ones...there are so many people's perspective's on how to handle the addict that you love dearly...in my opinion you have to do what you feel is right, always think from their side not just yours and always remember you never want to say what if I could have done that...just do what you feel is right at the moment in time and you will live free of regret! With this last time, my brother had come out of that really nice rehab and I just had a gut feeling within a few months that he wasn't right...I remember feeling so sick inside and crying myself to sleep wondering why can't he stop, doesn't he see that we need him in our lives..I watched his different behavior patterns and unfortunately noticed that he was definitely using again...I did major research online and it all led to Heroine use...I was spot on to what he was doing! In the end, I had to make my parents aware of what was going on because once again I was afraid he was going to kill himself... This was really it! What he was doing to himself was just totally insane to us as family members...we all wondered where did it go so wrong??? Only he knows that answer and we finally left it up to him to make the decision that we all had made for him so many times just to save his life...This time we left the decision making up to him...he basically was faced with 2 options: To either be homeless, living out of his car with nothing or to go to a long term rehab...He was given a week in my parents home to figure this out... He made the choice to go to long term rehab...Now at the time we all were thinking well sure he doesn't want to be homeless so he's just going to rehab...But this time he made the choice, he found the rehab, he went, he hung in there and slowly over 8 months he really has pulled himself together!!! He came out of rehab about month ago, 200 pounds lighter, looking full of life & healthy and really humble & thankful for his family his life back...he has since been living a sober house, got a great job a few weeks ago, keeping to a routine of focusing on his life, his health and just once again enjoying all the little joys of life...Honestly, if you were to see my brother in the end of his last drug use, you would say I don't know if he will ever, ever come clean again...well he did it and so can others!!! We are sooooooo proud of him and sooooooooo grateful for his life!!! We really thought we were going to loose him & God has given him another chance at life...He has taken control of his own life and has a totally different attitude in his everyday thinking...so in the end my little brother has another chance to live happily ever after...all we can do is pray that he continues to value his life and wants the best for himself... I will be posting more and if you have any questions feels free to ask...there is so much to write but I just wanted to put out the most important moments in my life with my brother to help others see you are not alone and there are so many of us that go through these difficult times with loved ones...thank you for taking the time to read my story!!! Best wishes for all going through tough times!!! Keep the faith & never stop believing in someone you love!!! Unconditional Love & Support is #1!!!



Posts: 2606
Joined: August 18, 2005


Posted: March 9, 2012, 6:43 AM
Know that this is a common story, although unique to you. Glad you were able to see it written out - hope it helps & continues in a positive direction
Jack

--------------------
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."
— Hunter S. Thompson[COLOR=blue]


Posts: 20396
Joined: February 12, 2004


Posted: March 9, 2012, 12:55 PM
Thank you for sharing that. Hope it gives another family hope.

Key here is..no one should or can go through this alone. Find help wherever you can.

--------------------
I used Drugs to forget, I got clean to remember.


Posts: 2
Joined: March 9, 2012


Posted: March 9, 2012, 3:49 PM
I have been fighting addiction to pain killers for a very long time. It doesnt control my life but I realize that it does alter a lot. I have lost my job due to it because I made an error in judgement.
Pain killers are so hard to give up because they take away the pain and you dont feel. When you hurt inside emotionally they mask the pain for a little while. So your brother was obviously just trying to kill a pain and the fact that you stood by him like you have is great. I never had that help. My family just turned away from me instead. They treated me like I was someone they didnt want to be around. I understood this because I didnt want to be around myself, Unfortuneately that was not a possibility. When I was in rehab (that I put myself in) I told my counselor I wanted to run away. He said to me "what good is that, You can run as far as you want but you will still be there" It made so much sense and I realized he was right.
While in rehab I also realized the molestation that I'd suffered as a child had hurt me more than I had realized. There were monsters in the closet that I had not faced. Also my parents split when I was very young. I loved them both very much but have come to face the fact that they were very selfish parents.
I cannot blame my childhood for everything. I know I'm just very weak. I've wished a million times over to be strong, to have will power. When I was in rehab is was for a meth addiction. This was so easy to step away from. I have no desire for it any more. But the pain killers are so hard. I do feel good or have any energy without them. Today is only my 3rd day without them and I am determined to fight. I can take them and no one knows because I dont take an extreme amount. But I spend so much money on attaining them. It hurts my daughter because this money could be put to so much better use.
Today is the first time I have even attempted to go online and look for help. I could put myself into a rehab but I fear that if my boyfriend finds out he will leave me. I know he would. He hates drugs which was and is one of the things I love about him. He doesnt know but others do. The enablers I'll call them.
Anyway the reason I posted to your message is because I think that your very brave to stand by him like you have. I know it can be hard and harder still to watch someone you love hurting themself. Your an awesome woman and I hope you continue to stand by your brother no matter what. Take it from me it matters to him that your there. He may not always show you and be angry at you and feel betrayed at times. But, In the end he will appreciate that you have never given up, I promise you that you do make a profound difference in his life! I wish the best for you both.


Posts: 5
Joined: March 10, 2012


Posted: March 10, 2012, 10:58 PM
I am the mother of an addict.....8 years of detoxing him, rehabs, and relapses.....8 years of lies,stealing our money and most of my jewelry, 8 yrs of sleepless nights waiting for the phone to ring.....will it be the police....has he been arrested...has he killed a family driving high...is he dead..........8 years of tears and good times in between..... 8 years of hope and more hope...never giving up on him....loving him always.....never ready to bury him........all I wanted was for him to be happy.........I think he's finally there....he's back and doing well.....I don't care about the money spent or stolen...or anything else......I just want my son alive and happy.......and I think we're there this time.......I'm very proud of him and love him dearly no matter what.....never give up on you're loved one....and be careful when people tell you to walk away and let them hit bottom.....sometimes they die when they hit bottom....before you walk away ask yourself if you're ready to bury them....everyone has good in them and is worth saving..............I guess I can tell you now I'm Joe & sister's Mom


Posts: 8683
Joined: April 24, 2007


Posted: March 10, 2012, 11:25 PM
I too am proud of my daughter, never gave up, and never walked away...she also has good in her and is worth saving.............

But she had to save herself. We can't save them, we can't detox them...this they must do for themselves. Letting go and walking away are two different things...we were always there for our daughter, but stopped doing the same things and stopped being walked on and sooner was better than later. She was done when she was done, not because of anything we did or did not do. Even when she could not remain in our home because of the behaviors and the drugs (which we would not allow in our home) we were still in daily contact, telling her we loved her, that we had faith in her ability to do what she needed to do. No one is ever "ready" to bury a child...ever...but the possibility is always there in addiction (and in life...any day...any time).

Yes, some bottoms are deep, some go all the way down...but it is an illusion that we control where they find their bottom. Surely knowing that there is a reason to go on, that there is someone, or many someones, who love them provides them some hope when they cannot love themselves...but we cannot love them clean, it doesn't work that way even when we tell ourselves it does. Love is powerful and necessary...the most powerful of all loves is the love they find for themselves...they need to do it for themselves.

Peace ~ MomNMore

This post has been edited by MomNMore on March 10, 2012, 11:28 PM

--------------------
You will not change what you are willing to tolerate.

user posted image
post replypost new topic