Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 1/3/2006

Question
My boyfriend is a ex-heroin addict since using all kinds of drugs since 14. He is now 47 and has been through several rehabs. Anyhow, he started using heavy last year and gets away with it.
His mother enables him by sending money,paying his rent, buying him a car etc. He does not work is on disability and I feel helpless. He is also on a methadone program here in Minneapolis, Mn.

My question is what can I do. He lies, covers up his using to me and I know he is high. He turns it around on me. I just cannot figure how his counslor does not make him do inpatient as I know he has dirty UA's.
Is there anything I can do or someone I can call to make him get help. It kills me to see him go through this and no one else seems to care but me. I did send his Mother the book A million little pieces for Christmas.

Please help... desperate in Minnesota, Morgan

Answer
Hello Morgan,

I know how difficult it is for you to understand your boyfriend. There are very few heroin addict that get better, and the main reason is that conventional treatment methods practised in most rehab centers do not understand and overlook the biological nature of addiction.,

Drug addiction is a disease and NOT a ‘mental' problem. You cannot talk yourself out of addiction, just as you cannot talk yourself out of diabetes.

Most drug addicts are found to be hypoglycemic if you test them with the four hour medical Test for Hypoglycemia at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/testing_hypoglycemia.html

We also have a paper-and-pencil test called the The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory Questionnaire (NBI) at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/nutrition-behavior_inventory.html

It would be impossible for a drug addict to give up their drugs if they are and remain  hypoglycemic. This is sugar handling problem, that prevents the body produce the necessary biological energy to produce the feel good neurotransmitters such as serotonin. It is essential that a recovering addict is on the

“The Hypoglycemic Diet” at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/hypoglycemic_diet.html

Although alcoholism is different from heroin addiction, yet the same underlying biochemical mechanism operates.

Please read:

Alcoholism is a Treatable Disease at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/alcoholism_treatable.html

Depression: a Disease of Energy Production at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/Depression_energy.html

“What is Hypoglycemia?” at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/what_is_hypo.html

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

By studying the articles at our web site, it should give you sufficient biochemical knowledge for the recovering addict to help himself.

We also have a self-help PSYCHOTHERAPY course that should help you to rebuild one's personality after treating the biological aspect of the disease.

Jurriaan Plesman, BA (Psych) Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
For more articles see
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au