Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 3/25/2009

Question
A friend that I have had for 13 years has a major drug problem. We have not talked much in the past two years, the other day I talked with her and she informed me of her drug addiction. I was very angry with her and extremely disappointed. She told me that she was shooting up several different drugs, and that she had been doing this for over a year.
To try to make a long story short...
She is shooting hydromorphon, Morphine, Heroin, and Fentanyl. Her arms look horrible, I can't believe the person that she was living with and in a relationship did not notice.
So, when talking with her, she promised that she was trying to stop using. She has taken a step back to Lortab to help ease the withdrawal symptoms. Part of the major problem is that she works at a hospital and steals the left over drugs from work. She did take 1 week of vacation when she started her sobriety because she knew she couldn't be around the drugs.
When she went back to work, she did not shoot any drugs, but was so tempted that she resorted to shooting water.
So to recap thus far, she has been shooting for over a year, has been clean-ish for a little over a week.
Well, while she was at work last night, she cut herself and her employer had submit a drug test. I don't know how long these drugs stay in a persons system, but I doubt she will pass. Her partner of 10 years is buying a house and told my friend that she could only move in after she cleaned up and had been off the drugs for one year.
She used to have the most beautiful smile and she could easily light up a room with her glow. Since the loss of her Father and several other family members, she has seemed to give up on life. My friend now has no place to live, I have offered my house, after she goes through rehab. I know that she is a wonderful person and that this is something that has overtaken her. I am positive that she needs a friend to stand a fight for her (she does not have anyone else)
I have agreed and I am meeting with her tomorrow to set some rules and discuss her addiction and explain that I will be here but will not allow this past activity in my house or with a person that I call a friend.
With all of that being said, my main question is... what signs can I look for to make sure that she is not using?
Any advise on the situation at hand?

Answer
Hi Amanda,

I believe that your friend needs to go to a rehab for proper detoxification and that she then needs to treat her drug addiction. Please read the following articles;

The Serotonin Connection at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/serotonin_connection.html

Treatment of Drug Addiction at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/treatment_drug_addiction.html

Drug Addiction is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/drug_addictions_nutritional_disorder.htm...

Also she should read my book:
Getting off the Hook, which is freely available on the internet.

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist
Hon. Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search
Skype: jurplesman