Best friend gone to rehab, I'm lost.

Posted , 5 users are following.

Hi.

This is a long story, but I'd appreciate some feedback from people who can relatevor give me feedback. My best friend and I had been planning my coming to see him in the UK for the last few months. Since January we have planned it, talked on phone every day, texted and planned what we would do down to last detail, both really excited. He is an alcoholic, and had been sober for a few months, but I was very supportive with his recovery, supporting him attending his as meetings and other services he attended. Loved hearing about how he was doing. So June came and I went over to UK to visit him, he still lives at home with parents and they had just gone abroad for a holiday so he was free. He decided to start drinking from the moment I arrived and continued for the following 3/4 days. He also got hold of cocaine and took it. I tried to get him to contact his sponsor and other services but to no avail. In fact by the third day, he turned abusive on me. He said I was being miserable but I was actually just worn out with worry. He get supremely controlling, wanting to know how who I was texting, got abusive verbally, and paranoid beyond belief. It got to point where I felt he might get physically abusive so I left the house. He said if I left not to come back and our friendship was over, but I did anyway for everyone's sake. I stayed in a hotel that night. I texted him the next day to see if he was ok, and he told me not to message him again, that he had tried to commit suicide because I left and I had opened up a whole can of worms now. I tried to explain why I left so he rang me. He was still getting angry and told me it was my fault and I shouldn't have left. It ended by him telling me to go f%$k myself. To say I was devastated is an understatement. I returned home the next day got an early flight. His mum rang me and wanted to hear what happened from my side of story. I explained and she told me he has been admitted to rehab now for 28 days. That was 3 weeks ago. I have heard from her few days ago and she said he is doing really well and has decided to extend the stay in rehab to 6 weeks. I am so glad he is doing great and in the right place. The issue for me now is, I have never been in this situation before. He has his phone for a few hours in the evening apparently but I haven't heard from him. I know he has to focus on his recovery now, and is in the best place but I'm struggling to cope without our usual conversations, texts etc. I miss him so much, he used to ring 5 or 6 times a day and text a lot too. Then it was stopped dead once he went into rehab. Not only stopped dead but stopped after a traumic few days of him relapsing which was hard to watch. I have googled a lot in the last while, and have started to see that we may have been codependent in some ways but it was enjoyable, I liked hearing from him that much. Its something I'm looking at now through personal therapy and going to all anon. So I suppose I'm wondering, is this normal to be so devasted? The lack of contact, and being able to talk about what happened is so hard. Would he be advised not to contact me? I am one of His best friends, not a big drinker and really supportive to his recovery. I'm trying so hard to take a step back and be chilled but its so hard. Any advice please, should I message him and let him know I'm still here to support him or wait until he's out, or just wait to hear from him? All advice welcome, thanks in advance.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Greg.

    Sounds like a very intend friendship

    More like a love affair.w

    While he's in rehab I would leave him alone. I would talk to his mum about how you feel so that when he gets out he knows your willing reconcile. Now he's sober his probably ashamed and might think you want no contact

    • Posted

      Good point Kelly, he may be feeling ashamed so I'll wait to hear from him. If he doesn't make contact then that's on him but I'll keep in touch with his mum for now.

  • Posted

    Sounds like the drink and drugs dictated his emotions more than his heart and mind. Even during rehab he probably is confused and embarrassed. If he isn't, and is instead angry - then he probably isn't worth the effort.

    Waiting until he is out and contacting him would probably be the best policy, but be prepared for any unexpected behaviour. He may have talked himself into thinking he was right to react as he did. 

    • Posted

      Thanks, yes I'm starting to think that if he is still angry then what a cheek, and he wouldn't have worked the programme properly. Hopefully its just embarrassment and he will be in touch if he is ready. I'll keep my contact to his mum for now.

    • Posted

      You have been through help for your friend i think. Too much
    • Posted

      Been through hell i meant
  • Posted

    Forgive me for saying, but I think you're in love with him on a deeper level than friendship. I say this, as, what you're describing (minus the drink/drugs) was me at 18, when I realised I liked women. Whether you're saying 'friend' because you're scared of being judged or perhaps in denial. If this is so, this is a forum where there will be no judgment regardless of sexual preferences etc. 😁 However, the story in which you have described, suggests to me that this guy is taking advantage of you and your support. If he was suicidal, he would have done it and not told you. He is abusing you...mentally!! He is taking your 'friendship' for granted.

    • Posted

      Only read this message now. I think I am in love with him and he knows it which makes it harder. I'm questioning everything now, wondering did anything he said or do mean anything, or did he use me to come visit so he could go off the rails again. As for the suicidal part, I'm convinced too that it never happened. He has said he has tried this many times but again if you want to do something like that you'll just do it. As for mental abuse, I think your completely right! And yet I still want to hear from him, how crazy is that. I need to take a step back and look at this abuse.

  • Posted

    I had sent him a couple of messages, 3 weeks ago, that did not go through on WhatsApp, so i assumed it was because he had turned phone off. Inoticed that they delivered last night. Again tonight I checked and can see that he was online for a bit tonight, but no message from him. I was looking at this as, well at least he hasn't blocked me, but I'm disappointed he hasn't messaged me. Any advice? Should I message and wish him well in recovery, or be strong and wait for him to make that initial contact?

  • Posted

    Hi Greg, me again.

    I would really leave it at the moment. I'm sure he is upset as much as you about the damage to your relationship. He may genuinely not have full recollection of his behaviour, he may also be on med to get him through withdrawal and not his normal self. He also might be a typical Alcy and blaming everyone else for his problem and not owning it.

    Withdrawal is not a pleasant process, could also be angry, frustrated with the thought of no more alcohol ever again which is the ethos of most treatments.

    Be patient, please, imply the suggestion that he has overstepped the mark and he cannot behave like that. Let him bide his time without you and don't kowtow to his demands.

    When I drink I become the most selfish and needy person. It's only when in sober I realised how unreasonable and warped my mentality has become.

    • Posted

      Thanks Kelly, yeh my gut instinct is to bide my time and let him come to me if he decides to at all. He may still be blaming, although over 3 weeks in now I would have thought some clarity might come but then I don't know how it works. Thanks for your advice

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.