I have a daughter with a drug problem she has had this for 4 years know. She has lost her daughter and is always going in and out of hospitals. I have had her on a marchman act for over a year. She has never did anything the judge told her to do in turn the judge did nothing
She is 31 know don't know what else to do. At a lost. The system does not work.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do for her. She is an adult and has made bad choices.

You must live in Florida, as that is where the Marchman Act is enacted, not all states have this act.

It is my understanding, and I am from Tennessee, that the maximum length of time someone can be detained on an involuntary Marchman Act is not to exceed 5 days.

It is very well known that we, as family, can be the enablers. We have to let the addict hit rock bottom and want to get help for themselves. Until that time, they don't realize that they have a problem and the vicious cycle will continue.

Have you considered an intervention with family members and a mediator? Sometimes we just have to raise our hands and say we are done with this behavior, let her hit rock bottom on her own, don't do anything for her. No money, none of your roof over her head, etc.

I am so sorry you are having to go through this, it is so hard to see our loved ones choose a path of destruction, however, it is the path they chose and we cannot let them make us walk that path beside them.

Dianes, don't give up on her. I'm sure you have been through the ringer these past years, and you're looking for answers.

There may not be any answers to say definitively that in six months she's going to stop and turn her life around, or six years.

As long as there is hope, it can, and does happen.

My advice is, and just my opinion (I've been where you are now), is do to what you can for yourself. Go and seek guidance from an addiction counsellor. Find out what you can and cannot expect, what resources are available to you, to help you cope with this, and live your own life, without throwing in the towel, and being smothered by guilt.

When she is ready and willing to seek help, be prepared, and stand by her side. She will need you more than you realize. The better prepared you are for that day to happen, the more you will both benefit.

Good luck to you, I wish you well.

I am so sorry about where you find yourself.I have been there and I know the sadness ,worry and frustration.
No one ever wants to give up on their child but at some point you do need to detach emotionally for your own small piece of mind.
I found this article helpful to me and I hope you will find some help in it also. The website is
How Can I Help An Alcoholic or Drug Addict? - Specific Things You Can Do To Help

Sample of the article:
One of the key principles that will help you in dealing with a struggling alcoholic or drug addict is detachment. The idea behind it is to separate yourself emotionally from the damaging effects of your relationship with the addict or alcoholic. It is not the same as complete disassociation or abandoning the relationship. The idea is to care for them while detaching emotionally. You can care for them but not feel like you are responsible for them. In other words, you are specifically trying to not get all wrapped up emotionally by an addicts destructive behaviors.

This is difficult.

Practicing detachment should make it easier over time. Here are some things that you can do in order to practice detachment with the struggling addict in your life:

-Don't do things that they should be doing themselves.

-Don't bend over backwards to rescue them or save them from natural consequences.

-Don't cover up for their mistakes or embarrassing situations.

-Don't rescue them from crisis or financial situations.

-Don't try to fix them.

-Let go of any guilt you may have about them

Detachment is not about denying your emotions. If someone close to you dies, for example, you will probably feel sad. You can't choose this feeling. It simply is. But we do have the power to affect the intensity of this feeling, by focusing on the positive aspects of the situation. We can also change our thinking in an attempt to eradicate irrational beliefs that might be contributing to our emotional turmoil.

The goal is not to go without emotions, the goal is to achieve some level of emotional stability. We are detaching from the negative, irrational thoughts that stir up our emotions–like the guilt we might have if we think someone's addiction is our fault.
Detachment is difficult and takes practice. I urge you to find local Al-Anon meetings and get involved with them, as those are the people who can help you the most.

First there is no system to help the drug addict unless they want help and actually can afford it.

But in most areas of the US, unless you can prove they are a danger to thierself, you can not even get them locked temp. And in those cases where you can, normally it is only for a few days.

Sadly you normally have to hope when they hit bottom they will want help.
But the hardest part of to let them fall and fall.

Yes, that sure is true. If they end up in a hospital emerg for an overdose or suicide attempt, a few days at the local psychiatric hospital is about the extent of it.

I had to go through the court system, and charge her with an assault on me, and beg them for an assessment, which was a six week course. To make a very long and difficult story short, she was declared NCR (nor criminally responsible), and 'sentenced' to a psychiatric facility. Psychiatrists assessments of her for the court showed she was indeed a danger to herself, and society. (plenty of evidence).

So, she has not yet reached a point where she can safely leave the hospital yet. The mental health issues have been addressed, and are being addressed, and she is a safe, controlled environment. My only other alternative was to watch her die, and that wasn't going to happen.

She has multiple problems, and I have legal status as her alternate decision maker, so I'm involved in her care, medications etc. This has gone on for four years now.

In her case, letting her hit rock bottom, was a death sentence.

I agree with so many of the caring people who have posted above. I also with get all my family and friends together and band together get the help of addiction specialist and maybe pull an intervention. Its time you tell her how you feel,as well as others. It would have to be really srtuctured. But if you all bind together and tell her you love her because sometimes US stupied addicts will thing we are unloveable which gives us more reasons to use. But the first step for you is get HEL
P NOW it will help you as well as her.

GOd BLess

I want to thank all that have answered your adivce is well taken. I
Appreciate all of the time you guys took to answer. Unfortunately
I have done all that you guys said my daughter has been baker acted 17 times in one year this year she has been there 4 times already and the year has just started. All I so is hope that one day she will ask for help thanks again to all of you.