Did I do the right thing?

[Keysnurse2008]

Did I do the right thing? I have a close friend.....and that person has been denying they have a alcohol addiction problem. They made me feel guilty for even asking if they had a problem. Things got worse....they refused to get help.They drank...daily. At times to the point of passing out. They have kids involved, young kids. They wouldnt get help ....got angry when asked to get help. It was just a bad situation. He saw no problem with drinking up until he clocked in to work. he denied it until he was in a position and got caught red handed. It was affecting their health, their kids emotional health and they felt they were in "complete" control of their addiction. They are divorced and their ex lives several states away and is not involved in their kids lives. He tried to stop drinking on his own and it didnt work out well.....he had an adverse outcome something like a seizure. So...with him still refusing to get help,...or even admit he had a problem....I called his state peer assistance program to try and get someone to intervene. I felt like my hands were tied.....like if I didnt do something he would die and his young kids would have no one. I still....feel horrible. It was .....difficult to make that call. So...did I do the right thing? Could I have done something different...was there another way?

[Keysnurse2008]

true, but then again, the most worthwhile things in life are seldom easy.

you cared enough about your friend & his family to do what you did, knowing that he'd probably hate you for it.

that took a lot of moral courage, and a lot of kindness on your part. the easy thing to do would have been to ignore it, hoping that somebody else would "do something."

i just got a call from his mom. he went into a 6 week inpatient program near houston. his mom has the kids. so...maybe this ends up working out for him. he is a great nurse,...just a great guy....that got off track and needed help by people trained in that area. i am in hopes it all works out.....he has 2 great kids that hopefully will be young enough to not remember alot about all of this. his mom is moving out to help with the kids and with anything else he needs till he gets back on his feet. but..he is in a well known treatment program.....so i am saying a prayer for him and his family.

[GN Dave]

i just got a call from his mom. he went into a 6 week inpatient program near houston. his mom has the kids. so...maybe this ends up working out for him. he is a great nurse,...just a great guy....that got off track and needed help by people trained in that area. i am in hopes it all works out.....he has 2 great kids that hopefully will be young enough to not remember alot about all of this. his mom is moving out to help with the kids and with anything else he needs till he gets back on his feet. but..he is in a well known treatment program.....so i am saying a prayer for him and his family.

i hope that some day we can get an update on his situation. whether he gets his act together or not is entirely up to him. i hope that everything turns out well for him and his family. i also hope that he realizes someday that you saved his life!

take care,

dave