I am so scared about my best friends abuse of oxycontin

[terrified_friend]

My friend is addicted to Oxycontin. She was prescribed the drug when she had surgery and 2 years later, she is a full blown addict. I have recently learned that she has actually been lighting it on fire using aluminum foil on a regular basis. She was already slim but now looks anorexic and sickly. This girl is only 21 years old and she is destroying her life. Her grandmother (whom she adored and visa versa) recently passed away and we found out that my friend stole one of her checkbooks (after she passed away) and has written over $2000 in bad checks off of her grandma's account putting it in the hole. Her mother got a loan to cover the amount and my friend was so devastated from losing her that she did not even attend the funeral. This was more than likely because she wasn't sure how many people knew about what she had done. This is a wonderful girl who had such a bright future but has now turned into a thief and a liar. She doesn't smoke cigarettes but her tongue is always brown. Now that she has turned 21, her family doesn't feel like they can help or do anything for her because she continues to deny that she has a problem and as an adult no one can force her to go to rehab. She's lost her job and is alienating her family and friends. Is there anything we can do other than offer her our love and support?

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

I am very sorry for your situation. We do seem to be seeing a lot of very young people with this devstating problem. She is already in so deep. You might see if she will start reading this forum. Most of us have been where she is. These other Posts are giving you truthful advice. Listen to them. I wish I had an easy black and white answer for you - - but it doesnt exist right now. Best of luck to all that are affected by this - - - -

[flmagi]

Offer her your love and support, but nothing else. If your friend has no job, where is her money now coming from?
Her friends and family could get together and have an intervention, letting her know if she doesn't get clean, no one will help her as far as money, place to live, food etc. This is a very hard and heart-breaking thing to do but as long as people help her, it will be hard for her to stop her behavior.
Sometimes an addict must hit rock bottom before they seek help. The biggest problem is that she has to want to get clean and until she wants it bad enough you can't force recovery on her. But her loved ones can stop enabling her and allowing her an easy way to continue her addiction.
Give her all the love and support she needs but do not contribute in any way to making her addictive life style easier.
Good luck to you and her family, you're all in for a long hard and very sad battle.

[troubleinohio]

thats so sad...Ive noticed lately alot of addict here are younger and younger! It seems like before most of us were in our 30-s thru 60s with just a handful of 20 or younger people. Now there are more and more teens showing up. Its so sad to see such young people falling to addiction. '
I dont know what to tell you about your friend...she's in deep already and doesnt want help or even admit she has a problem...sadly there's no hope in her quitting when she is this way. Is there anyway you can get her to read this forum? Maybe that at least would open her eyes a tiny bit.
Im sorry I cant offer you anything more substantial but there is no easy answer and until your friend wants to quit, theres nothing anyone can really do aside from possibly an intervention which is really extreme and unlikely to work if she doesnt even acknowledge she has a problem...good luck to you...keep us posted