My boyfriend was in substance abuse treatment (by his initiative) before he was arrested. He did well in inpatient treatment (21 days he loved) but kept falling off and using in outpatient. He kept on trying with rehab until he was kicked out of his outpatient residential program for using. He got real down on himself and was arrested within 48 hours for a robbery attempt. He will be going to prison in a week for 3-15 years, and we are trying to find a way for him to use his time in prison well, so this doesn't happen again. He is a repeat offender. He grew up in a family of drug addiction and crime. He wants to become a "normal" person, but it is hard work and he doesn't understand why he keeps falling into old patterns.
A friend said he should go to NA while he is in prison. When I told him, he said that NA meetings in prison are not like on the outside, because people inside are just doing it for the parole board and they are not honest. He said he would still go, but that he went the last time he was inside and it didn't seem to have helped. I have no idea if this is true in general or just in some prisons or just J's excuse. Does anyone know what help is available for an inmate who wants to overcome substance abuse and dysfunctional ways of handling life? Because of his family background, he needs people to help him develop more healthy ways of dealing with life. I'm searching for resources -- if anyone has any suggestions!!


Thanks! Megan/Jayzlove

My guy says the same thing - a lot of those who go to NA and AA in prison are just going because they have to - but there are usually some who are serious about it (like my guy). Most states do have some form of substance abuse treatment programs for inmates - in Alabama it's called SAP and they have a general program as well as more intensive programs like the SAP Relapse and Therapeutic Community programs. These are not only programs they attend but usually they are housed in a dorm with others going thru the same program.

You can also send him or have sent to him some resources from the outside. The NA website:

http://www.na.org/

.... has literature you can print out and send to him yourself or arrange for them to send the literature... you can also e-mail them and request they send him the (it's either monthly or bi-monthly, can't remember which) NA Way newsletter. Things like that are always helpful...

There are people in NA meetings on the outside that go for those same reasons. There are clean and sober people IN prison. He has to look for those that live the NA way, and that means they walk the talk, not just glorify their "sobriety" at the podium...they actually ARE clean and sober and live a clean and sober and honest life. They may not be tons in prison but hopefully he can find just one dude that he can share things with.

also, H&I will provide him w/ a sponsor to correspond thru mail so if meetings on the inside aren't working, he can always keep connected that way.

I chaired an AA meeting in a women's county facility for a year. Of course many women showed up just to have something to do on Sunday nights. A few seemed to be in a loop--serve a couple of months, get released, serve a couple of months, get released.... I sponsored one woman for a year. In the first phone conversation I had with her when she was released, she told me she had started drinking again. About a year ago I went to an "outside" AA meeting and ran into her--a couple of years after that first release, she had returned and had been clean and sober for five years.

Regardless of one's initial motive for meeting with others dealing with the same issues, sometimes we're surprised about what sticks.

I don't promote any 12-step programs, because that's not one of the traditions of the fellowships. My experience has been that the people who are serious about changing the course of their lives can do so with the help of others, especially some positive power greater than themselves, whatever that looks like.

There are lots of support groups for people who have addicted (drugs, alcohol, other people, etc., etc.) loved ones. Just like PTO, they provide lots of strength, hope, and love through sharing common problems and suggesting solutions based on experience. Regardless of where we are in life, we are never alone. Take care of yourself.