My Kid Brother

[JenBeguin]

Hi everyone. I am not sure where to turn and I found you guys. I need some help.

I have a 26 year old kid brother who is a recovering crack addict and he is addicted to alcohol. He is in a drug program that is court ordered by the county. He is suppose to go to check in with court 1 x a week. 3 drops (drug tests) with a probation officer. Work full time. 1 x a week meeting with Breaking Free (counsler for addictions). At th beginning of the year, he completed a 90 day in patient treatment.

After his in patient treatment, (Dec 31 to March 31) he came back home to my parents house. WOW what a different guy. He interacted with people. Immediately found a full time job. He seemed as if he was headed on the right track. We all continued to think he was headed on the right track except for he did not leave the beer alone regardless of the AA meetings he was attending.

In July he sent me 2 emails with music attached. They were sad songs about struggling relationships with fathers (which he as with our dad) and lost loves. I discussed it with my sister but that is as far as we took it.

Friday morning, my mom called me looking for my brother. He works 2nd shift and never came home. Well we found him in jail. The judge he was suppose to see weekly put out a warrent. It seems my brother tested positive for cocaine in July..yes, the same time period he sent me music. He at that point stopped going to court, AA, his drops. The judge let him leave jail with his lawyer on the promise to start everying back up and he would let him know his punishment would be but that he did not want him to lose his job.

Today, I seen my brother at my mom's. I did not comment on anything. My brother has never been a real emotional person and there is 5 years between us so we were never real close. We chatted a bit about nothing.

Tonight, I was senting at the computer and another email came. A song about falling to pieces. I missed his cry for help in July, I was not going to miss it again! I responded. I told him I was there for him he just had to reach out for me. He needed to take his classes and do what the courts were requiring him to do. I told him he could call me 24 hours a day if he felt like he was going to relapse again. (He makes the claim it was only that 1 times in July and it did nothing for him. He did recently test clean for everything at a recent pre employment interview.)

What else can I do for him?

Thanks
Jenny

[smoke gets in my eyes]

Hi Jenny.

You have done all you can do. You let him know you care and will stand by him. Those are wonderful and important things. The rest is up to him. We're always here for you. Welcome.

Hugs,
Smoke

[lonlion]

I just wish I had an older sibling like you. take care of yourself, he has to do this on his own. If he needs to talk, then its great he can talk with you, otherwise he is getting all the help he needs if he reaches out to the support from the meetings. Does he have a sponsor?
My prayers go out to him and you