How do you deal with people who have a substance abuse problem and you dont ?

Try to encourage them to get help, be supportive. If they are not interested, distance yourself from them, and let them know why you are doing it. Trust me, you will save yourself years of heartache. I was the classic enabler to an alcoholic/drug abuser for way too many years, making excuses at the place we both worked, to friends and family, covering, putting up with it, always being the "shoulder" for her to lean on, fixing everything in her wake. She didn't get better; she took advantage of that and got worse. It destroyed both of us. When I ended up getting very ill one year from the stress, I snapped. I finally had to tell her I wanted nothing more to do with her, and stuck to it. It was the absolute hardest, most miserable thing I ever did in my life. I felt like a betrayer and a bad friend when I refused to take her calls when she cried out for help. I told her to call me when she was sober. I was done. I kept waiting for that call from her mother saying she was found dead. I never told her, but I would drive by her place looking to see if her car had been moved to make sure she wasn't in her place in a coma. Guess what? She got clean 2 months later. It took a long time for her to recover physically (enlarged liver, throwing up all the time, etc), but she hasn't abused in over 3 years now. I still have nightmares from the "bad" times. I still dream I answer the phone and I can hear the alcohol in her voice. I still worry, but I will never play enabler again. I have a zero policy with her now, and we were able to rebuild the friendship to a strong level again. Every once in awhile, she tries to make me feel guilty that I didn't force her into rehab years prior. I don't think she remembers half of what happened or how many sleepless nights I spent crying trying to get her to get help as I stopped her from lighting her hair or the house on fire instead of a cigarette. The interventions that even my mother and sister got involved in.

Not everyone has an ultimately good ending like we did, but take it from me, it will destroy both of you if you stick around them and put up with it, or pretend you can't do anything because it's her or his life, and "none of your business to tell them what to do". You can do something, you can walk.

I don't have that experience in my personal life. No one I know does these things. However, working in a prison, I see it everyday. The hardest part are the new ones fresh off the streets. Half of them are coming down or tweaking or having withdrawals. Until I have to deal with them personally, I don't worry about it. When the problem is brought to me, I make suggestions to see the Chaplin, or talk to their case worker and see about counseling. And believe me, there are more addicts than most people realize. It's a little disheartening.

depends on if they know they do or not.

my friend has an pill addiction. He is addicted to oxycotin which is synthic herion. he knows he has an addiction. in his mind tho, since hes slowed down with it, and only does it "occasionally." he thinks its okay. he ended up having to move from his moms house to his dads which is a few hours drive, he lives close to me at his dads, but ended up moving back with his mom for the summer for a job. But his retarded ex girlfriend, doesnt say anything about his problem to him bc she thinks if she doesnt make a big deal out of it, it will make him stay with her.

me and my two other friends are the only people he really knows he, so its easy to watch out for him with the drugs and stuff. i do give him pills, but they are only vicoden. If he had to take something i would rather him take a vicoden then overdose on an oxy.

depends, on the relationship to them, if it is family member then yau may be a co-dependent and caught in the drama triangle, of rescuer,victim,prosecutor. seek professional help

if you are smart you dont hang around them ppl till they are well.recovering alcoholic and addict before i got help and if i had me as a friend i would of steered clear till i was well ,

Leave them alone. They have to want to quit on their own. Just keep your fingers crossed.

try to get them professional help.
it's a serious matter.