About Marc Storr Expertise I have over 20 years professional and personal experience in drug & alcohol use/misuse and can discuss all aspects of drug use/misuse and ways of sucessfully changing drug-related behaviour.
Experience Eight years experience working in Social Care. Three years experience as a drug counsellor. Currently in private practice offering personal development, counselling and psychotherapy. I also currently work for Social Services working with familes where the children have emotional and behavioural issues that usualy fulfill the diagnostic criteria for Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder and usually have other diagnoses like ADHD & ASD.
Organizations Member of the Institute of Transactional Analysis
Education/Credentials BSc Applied Psychology, Post-graduate training in Psychological Research methods, four years professional training in Psychotherapy.
Past/Present Clients Successfully worked with children and adults in a variety of settings.
Addiction to Drugs - Incoherent communications as sign of mental confusion in the withdrawal stage of meth use.
Expert: Marc Storr - 11/2/2008
Question One of my closest friends who was never a user before started working in a bar just a month ago where it's known that there is a higher incidence of meth use among its staff. I started to notice strange things and changes about her. Since I can't see her frequently lately, it's only with text messages where we can communicate.
Lately, I found all of her text messages to me incoherent and I have to think very carefully and try to guess what she's trying to say. She was not like this before.
Today I went to her house and talked to her briefly.She looked fine and definitely not drunk or intoxicated but somehow looked drowsy. I hope she just lacked some sleep.
Or maybe she was on the withdrawal stage of meth use hence the look of drowsiness and the incoherent messages. After I left, she sent me another incoherent message. When I tried to clarify what she was trying to say and pointed out to her the incoherence because I already sensed something was not right, she didn't answer back.
My question is, is an incoherent communication a possible sign of being high, or being on the withdrawal stage, of meth use? Short of having her tested, are these observations, most especially the incoherent messages, enough basis for me to take further action?
A very worried friend.
Answer Hi Lito
It seems by the way you are concerned about this that you have enough of a basis for further action - although I don't know what further action you have in mind.
I think you need to have a chat with your friend (at least for your sake). This doesn't have to be anything heavy and you can pitch it in a concerned way rather than a 'lecturing' type of way.
Usually, the biggest problem with addressing issues like this with friends and family is that people don't know what to say, then let things build up, and then kind of explode in an accusatory and over the top way pointing out the dangers of drug use and saying that the person will probably end up dead if they continue. Of course, this just closes down the conversation and the opportunity to talk is gone.
However, be prepared for your friend not to want to talk about this - which you'll have to accept because it's her life. If this is the case though, how you run a relationship with your friend is entirely up to you. I had a friend who got stuck right into his drinking and the only communication I had with him was when he was hammered. After a while, I just stopped responding to his calls and messages when he was under the influence and instead only spoke to him when he was straight - I also informed him of this so at least he knew why I didn't call back. After a while the drunken calls stopped and he got on with this part of his life without me involved...but I did still see him on other occasions.
So, in summary...discuss your concerns with your friend and be as honest as possible. Don't spend time picking the correct words - just let it spill, but be careful not to sound like her father.
