She tells me treatment doesn’t work.
She tells me therapy doesn’t work.
She tells me she will never have a day that she doesn’t want to use drugs.
I tell her to keep fighting.
I want to tell her that hopelessness is the same thing as death. It’s a hell of your own making. But I don’t think she’s ready to hear that yet.
She asks me if it depresses me. This work I do. Hearing other people complain all day. Watching addicts struggle. I tell her no. I tell her I’ve seen people get through this and I believe she will as well.
She doesn’t believe me.
Words are powerful.
God speaks and the world is created.
With truth comes freedom.
The words we tell others and the words we tell ourselves. They matter.
I know the words that she needs to hear exist. They are out there floating around in the cosmos, just waiting to be found.
The combination of consonants and vowels that would make up the sentences that could change her life. The right words in the right order. And If I said these words, things would be better. But I don’t know what those words are. I rarely do.
So all I can really do is listen.
And hope.
Hope she comes back next time.
Whether I have the words or not.
Amen brother 💃
You are a great doctor. You listen. In my opinion, that’s all one can really do. Just don’t give up on her. You may be the only one listening.
To have someone listen when all seems hopeless is the best gift. While it may not seem so at the time, when all is quiet and the person has time to think about the conversation, the person will know that you care. Some times that is all that matters.