It is almost necessary for a methamphetamine addict to isolate himself from his family and friends to maintain the habit. Why? It’s hard to understand, especially when you (the family member/partner/friend) want so badly to rescue them from the clutches of meth, and the addict moves further away. There are several components to why isolation is part of addiction, and I would know. I did it to my family, I hurt my friends, I ditched my best friend on her wedding day, and I didn’t even pick up a birthday cake my grandma made for me.

Consider the former life for signs of the life to be.

In most cases, family and friends know someone best; their habits, how they spend their free time, whether their job is stable, whether or not they are responsible with their possessions and money, and whether they are known to have stable relationships. For example, my life before I started with methamphetamine was like this: I had just divorced my first husband, the pastor, and I was happily taking care of my grandmother, who had just fallen. I got a great job working on the private side of the airport, I rode horses whenever I could, I attended church every week, and my relationships with my grandmother, other family members, and friends were happy and secure. But all that changed.

Pressure, lies and a bad habit.

Adjustments cause so much stress and anxiety that it doesn’t take much for a simple phone call from a friendly voice to ask questions about life to turn into a major pressure bout. Soon a tweaker will be too busy to talk on the phone and in the next family, they will be faced with ‘Wow, why are you so skinny’, ‘Why don’t you answer the phone?’ and ‘What’s going on? Are you that busy? The tweaker (me, for example) honestly doesn’t think anyone else can see the changes in you, but your family and friends will be the first to see the changes. The best way to deal with these questions is to lie. It’s the quickest way to stop the questions and get away from the situation so you can sit on the toilet and smoke another bowl.

The life that will be

I met my second husband and he introduced me to meth one fateful New Year’s Eve. It was new and exciting, but as meth began to affect our lives, my family, mainly my grandmother, began to notice that it was getting harder and harder to get in touch with me. When we did speak, the pressure behind the adjustments made our conversations short and meaningless. I started to get irritated just as a question about how I was. When my family saw me, they asked me questions about my weight and why I was too busy to talk. My church life had come to an end and my life became secretive. My amazing job was horrible pressure on me while I was addicted and my relationships at work became strained and suspicious. My lies piled on top of each other and I isolated myself from everyone close to me. It was the only way I could continue doing my habit. My habit was my release from the pressure of life.

What I can do?

I’m not saying that everyone who isolates from their family is addicted to meth, but coupled with other signs and displaying this type of behavior, you may have an addict on your hands. What can you do? It’s almost impossible not to ask questions, but that’s one of the best ways to deal with it. MOST IMPORTANTLY, become a good listener; meth addicts can ramble on and on, and thought conversations become frustrating and tedious, if you really listen, you’ll be able to pick up clues about what’s really going on in their life, it keeps the line of communication open, and it could save your relationship with them. If a meth addict can feel like he can talk to someone (even if it’s just rambling and nonsense), he won’t be inclined to isolate himself from you. HOWEVER, keep in mind that whatever they are rambling about may not be the truth. The more you get to know the addict and the more you really listen to them, the more you should be able to tell the lies from the truth, but now is NOT the time to call unless you want to be isolated. Addicts lie, so if you’re going to ask a lot of questions, know that all the answers will most likely be panicked lies. Either you can take it personally and isolate the addict from you for being a liar, or you can become a great listener and determine for yourself which are lies and which are true.

Why do methamphetamine addicts isolate themselves? Because it is easier to maintain the habit than to face the questions and pressures of those who are close; of people who only want to love and rescue. It’s just another sad consequence that makes meth the devil’s drug.