Dealing with Substance Abusers

Dear Neophyte,

 In this piece I say 'drugs' but this is a shortened way of saying 'substance abuser'.  Drugs has less letters to type. 

I hate to admit it but at some point in all our lives we have to deal with a drug addict.  After much pain and heartache in my own relationship with such a person I found out the hard truth: Drug addiction literally changes the person you knew into someone who doesnt even know who they are.  Their brain chemistry becomes messed up and it may never go back to the way it was.  Even if they get clean you may wind up loosing them still.


There are several magical steps you can take to help with drug abuse in your own relationships.  Here I wrote down the mundane ones first and followed by the magical suggestion second, marked with an (m).

Here are the steps to dealing with a Drug Addict:

 1. Informal Intervention - Just the two of you talking.
(m)  Prayer to the gods and to that person's higher self to guide them away from drug abuse.

2.  Formal Intervention - You and a group talking to them.
(m)  Create a 'talking stick' so that everyone isnt allowed to talk over other people.  The stick gets shook out before it's passed on to ground the negative energies away.

3.  Refuse to Enable - Never be a provider or look the other way.
(m)  Instead of doing drugs with the person suggest that you both go to religious services of some kind.  Most people are inherently religious, they just don't know there are options.

 4.  Detachment - You cannot fix what you did not break.
(m)  Keep a journal where you can write down your emotions about the subject and leave it in the journal.  Once the pages close they are no longer your concern to worry about.  You can make this into a mini-ritual if you want, candles and all.

5.  Boundaries - Never give into pressure to join in or allow it to be around  you.
(m)  Drug uses often pressure their peeps to join in on the abuse.  Practice psychic protection; most abusers turn into psychic vampires and can suck the vital energy out of everyone around them.  A protective bubble stopping them from feeding off of you should be enough to last till you can get away.  Remember to ground and create a new bubble.

 6.  Advice - Never give advice unless asked.  Feel free to ask for advice though.
(m)  Ask a more experience member of the Craft for advice on dealing with abusers.  They will probably have suggestions that I havnt though of yet.  When taking advice from the abuser make sure to write it down as they are saying it.  Latter you wrap the paper around a candle or hold it and visualize the advice coming to pass.  Follow threw. 


7.  Dont Repeat Your Mistakes -  If they refuse to give up their drugs then hit up step 8 and 9 together. 
(m)  Admit your mistake to the Gods and ask them to help you not make it again. 


8.  Support Groups for Both of You - Even if they refuse to get into and stay into a support group, you will still need one for yourself as the victim of drug abuse.
(m)  Not just a support group, but supporting food and drink.  A magical and physical cleans will go a long way to support a support group.  Regular grounding of negative energy as well as regular drinking of cleansing teas make things easier.


9.  Escape Plan - If they refuse to get help then leave the relationship.
(m)  Ask the Gods to provide safe departure from the relationship and to watch over you as you make a clean cut, and to bless your new beginning.  You'll be surprised by what they will do for you.

On my bathroom mirror you could write:

"Sweep away unwanted trace
of drugs illigal in my place.
Cleans the flesh
Free the mind
Leave addiction
Far behind"

It shows up even when the mirror is foggy.


If you cant tell I am a big proponent of talking to the Gods, prayer and writing things down.  You must do what works for you as an individual.  


More on this to come, for sure.


Salutations,
Sesh

p.s. Picture not mine, taken from google image search 'drug abuse'.