BIL is talking suicide. I need some advice.

[mamateur]

BIL is trying to emerge from the other side of 14 years of heroin addiction. He has come to stay with us in a different town where we have a flat we can live in temporarily at least.

He came up last week, ready to move into the flat. We had dinner and were watching a film when he got up and said he had to go. I tried to stop him but he got the train to go back to London, I assumed because he wanted drugs although he did say, I can't do this anymore.

He is now back and set to move into the flat (on his own) and he has told me that he went back to kill himself but when he was writing the note he realised he couldn't, because his sister committed suicide and he knew his DM wouldn't cope.

He says that the depression and suicidal thoughts are much worse the drug withdrawal.

SHould I send him to the GP? Will he get sectioned if he tells the truth? He is lucid. He seems sort of OK.

I am a bit out of my depth. What should I do?

[SnowyMouse]

Get him to talk to someone, out of hours GP or A&E. They try to keep people out of hospital, so it all depends. Good luck.

[Smartieaddict]

GP certainly sounds like a good place to start. Is he getting any help with coming off the heroin?

[mamateur]

I'm not sure he will take the risk of talking to GP or A&E in case he gets sectioned. I have asked him if he would not rather be sectioned that dead, if he is a danger to himself, but he is very stubborn.

He is asking me to go and buy him special brew but I have refused, at the moment. He is detoxing and usually takes subutex to control the comedown but he doesn't have any.

[mamateur]

Smartie we got him 2 weeks rehab then he went home and immediately back on it because there is nothing else to do there. WHen he is with us he says he doesn't want heroin but he is very depressed.

I have booked him a counsellor and he is going to go to NA meetings.

[Smartieaddict]

Where does he get the subutex from? I am thinking there must be some professionals involved there? They should have plenty of experience of the emotions he is going through. Is there someone there he trusts and can talk to? I'd be surprised if he was sectioned, if he voluntarily sought help, although I guess there are no guarantees. There are not enough beds to go round generally!

[Smartieaddict]

It sounds like you are doing all you can, the rest is really up to him. I hope all works out OK.

[mamateur]

No professionals involved - apparently subutex is easy to get hold of.

[SnowyMouse]

Hope things have progressed for you and yours.

[mamateur]

Thanks Snowy. Smartie, that's good information to have. He has said he won't go for counselling because it's for losers apparently. I really think he's beyond help. I want to be careful to watch the line between helping and enabling.