Addicted brother

My brother is 23 yrs. Old and he lives at home with me and my mom. He is addicted to heroin, but started off on pot then oxy... My mom and I found out he was using oxy/heroin about a year and a half ago and memo gets him to go to a rehab, which failed because even he admits he did it for others. He continues to live hear and while hear he pawns my gaming systems my moms laptop on more than one occasion. He also steals my moms oxy (which she is prescribed and needs) out of a lock box in her room. This and continually coming home high happens for a lil under a year. He "quits" and goes back too many times to count. My mom ,sick of all this, sends him to another rehab where he checks himself out in a little under too days because "they weren't giving him the meeds he needs to quit. And is sent to another in patient where he will get the meeds he "needs". All this is paid by my mother $9,000. Her retirement is drained and he doesn't even say I'm sorry that you had to throw all that away because again he relapsed saying he wasn't ready. Once he gets out he has these little outburst like walking around the house nude except for a shirt thinking he is completely dressed for about a half an hour, or repetitively stealing from an Albertsons within a half an hour while also walking through the store eating the stores food. The cops come and he's banned from all Albertsons for a year. He learns to hide it well while I always knew he was still using my mother believed him completely even through the two instances I said above. He makes empty promises about how he'll quit by the end of the month or he's just "weening" down on the heroin (which he's done once be fire and my mother currently believes). I want him to be put out on the streets because I don't see any other possible way of him ever hitting hisnbottom and saying enough is enough. But. My mother disagrees she thinks he should be allowed to live at jome and be able to drive her car (he totaled his which high) anytime he wants. I want to see what anybody else thinks. So please respond.    

[Teetime4u]

I agree with you your mom needs to wake up. She can't fix him!!! He has to want to get clean, all the rehabs in the world won't work till he is ready. Have you ever considered calling the cops on your brother when he steals your stuff? Maby check into alanon for you and you mom it can hopefull open her eyes. Any other family that can help?

[atthebeach]

hi brother ,welcome  and glad you found this site.you can get support from us. i am so sorry you have to be subjected to your brothers addiction. you didn't tell  us how old you are.you sound very brave and smart. i have a husband, son and daughter who are recovering addicts. yes, they definitely lie,deceive,steal,promise and blame everyone
but themselves for their addiction. you are right they have to hit rock bottom and admit to themselves first then others that they are an addict and want to want help before they will seek it. i had money, jewelry, designer purses, game systems,check.credit cards anything they can take they will to support their habit. your mom has to realize she is enabling him by allowing him to live there.to allow him to drive the car when he is high is very reckless, he could kill himself and others. has he ever been arrested and been in jail? you should check out alanon meetings for you and your mom. it is a support group for the families of addicts. i will pray for your family. please come here anytime you want to talk we are here.
hugs and blessings to you
debbie

[lucyintheskyy]

u and ur mom r angels first off.. secondly tell ur mom that he will thank her for letting him hit bottom and to hit bottom she has to cut off his resources.he will b mad of  course. i once was the addict with my ear to my moms lockbox to get the combo. i tore through drywall cuz i thought i lost a pill in there. my mom is sick and i lived with her stole her oc's. we addicts have a illness that is lifelong. i was sober 4yrs and for a brief second relapsed. clean now yay but he will wake up one day and realize he wants more than this. i realized that before my mom put me on the streets. i kno u cant believe he could take from ur mom that needs them and i kno ur angry but when the day comes that he is clean try to forgive. i kne it was wrong but it was like my hand was controled by demons. im sooo sorry u r goin through that my lil sis hated me for it. please dont lose hope. give ur mom a hug for me. i will prey for u and your family

[lucyintheskyy]

ehh i didnt realize i was the only ex addict that posted i hope u dont think im defending him. i was just tryin to explain because my story is close to his. except for stealing property and using herion. i almost got jumped when i tried to buy oc's on the streets they stole $300 from me. and when i was little i promise i would use herion.. if only i said i would never do drugs. i agree with atthebeach u r brave. the only good thing that came outta my problems is that my sis wont touch drugs now. we later became bestfriends she is 5yrs younger than me. but once she forgave me my life started again. the guilt is hard to put aside to start the healling process for the junkie just like its hard for the family to forgive.