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Support Involuntary Commitment

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Please support involuntary commitment in New Hampshire for those suffering with substance or alcohol abuse.

While this may seem harsh, in reality…it really isn’t.  Many times those with addictions end up on the streets and/or become missing. Helping to lower the amount of missing loved ones each day, begins with helping solve some of the influences that may cause one to become missing in the first place, and addictions/substance abuse is a background factor in many cases.

Therefore, we implore you to sign your support so that families can have a loved one admitted to rehab, even if they don’t “want the help.”  Please support this important cause.  There are many beautiful lives lost to substance abuse and rehab is a needed tool to save lives.

We know people are saying that “one who is addicted must want rehab themselves” but we believe that’s old school thoughts…and obviously doesn’t work if families are having to wait for those they love to reach rock bottom and wanting help. Many times that wait becomes too long, and then becomes too late.
Often, those addicted have a very low self esteem, along with depression, that they refuse rehab for fears of having to face living a life clean and sober.  Their emotional fears  ”of living a drug free life” is too painful to do without the drugs to “soften the blows” of every day living.

Forcing a loved one into rehab can provide them the necessary services, and emotional help, needed to fight addiction.  Yes, this could be considered a “tough love” approach and should it not work, nothing really changes. But if it does work, a life can be saved. Isn’t that worth trying?

On July 16, 2016 John C. “Bubba” Carter 18, died of a drug overdose, in Londonderry, NH.  Only a few months before, with the help of family and friends,  Bubba entered his final detox and rehab. After three weeks he left the facility and returned home where he continued to spiral out of control. Bubba was employed as a delivery driver with Pelham House of Pizza where he enjoyed his work and the many people he met along the way. He wasn’t just a “heroin addict,” he had an infectious smile and big blue eyes. He enjoyed spending time with his family and large group of close friends. He loved snowboarding, camping and outings to the White Mountains.  He had a contagious laugh that made everyone smile. Children and animals all gravitated to him because of his kind nature and warm heart.

For the past few years Bubba fought bravely with his addiction, attempting to maintain a life of sobriety so that he could fulfill all of the hopes and dreams he has had since he was a child. He had a heart of gold but the battle he fought was too overwhelming.  His family mourns for all the things that could have been. If there is anything they pray for, it is that no other family has to go through the hell of losing their child to this disease. They firmly believe if they could have involuntarily committed him, (especially the early days, prior to it spiraling out of control) the end result could have been a recovery.

At one point, he maintained 30 days of sobriety on his own between March and April of 2016. He was very proud of himself.  Then Bubba relapsed in May of 2016.
Two weeks prior to his death, on June 30, 2016, his family and friends attempted an intervention.  At this time Bubba was no longer living at his family’s  home. Although his family kept in contact with him, they had decided to stop enabling him hoping he would choose recovery again.  During this intervention the police were also involved and tried to help him but because Bubba knew all the “right” words to say to the police their hands were tied. They then learned Bubba had been using heroin intravenously.

In Massachusetts, and a number of other states, they have Section 35 which allows a family member, police officer or doctor to have a person civilly committed who are struggling with addiction, and committed for the treatment of substance, or alcohol abuse. A judge then can have that person committed to a detox for up to 30 days or more. New Hampshire has a civil commitment for mental illness, but it does not cover alcohol or drugs.

As Bubba’s family painfully says, “Maybe if we had that option the police, or us as family, could have had Bubba committed. Things may have been different. If only we had a law in New Hampshire similar to Section 35 as our neighboring state.  We don’t know if it would have saved his life but we wish we did have that option as a tool to at least try.”

Please help provide that tool. Sign to support on the side of hope for families who have loved ones with addictions.Link to sign and show your support:
https://www.change.org/p/new-hampshire-state-house-court-order-to-have-someone-committed-and-treated-involuntary-for-substance-abuse?tokenID=P40GHO7TYNG4UOWTTJU03GQI1FWJR4LSEZI1

 

See 20/20′s special report on heroin addiction in Manchester, NH:  http://abc.go.com/shows/2020/episode-guide/2016-03/11-031116-breaking-point-heroin-in-america

This message supported by the family of John C. “Bubba” Carter and LostNMissing Inc.

###LostNMissing Inc, a 501c(3) Nonprofit  is based in Londonderry, NH and assists law enforcement and families of missing. http://www.lostnmissing.com


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