Lost in the Drug Spiral

Ms Krause came into contact with addictive substances at a very young age: alcohol at 14, cannabis at 16, and later various pills and synthetic drugs as an adult. She grew up in residential care because her parents were no longer able to look after her adequately. Over time she started to hear voices, developed paranoid delusions, and became convinced that squatters were living in her basement.

After a suicide attempt she moved repeatedly between locked psychiatric wards and temporary accommodations with friends. A stable daily structure was impossible. She now lived in a therapeutic shared residence for people with mental illness, was no longer using illegal drugs, and received opioid substitution treatment.

During the support process, an application for placement in a closed psychiatric ward was filed and intensive discussions with hospital social services took place to find a suitable setting. Applications for integration assistance were submitted to the social welfare office, and the community mental health service initiated case management and support. Additional applications to the health insurance and pension insurance funds covered a nursing care level, withdrawal treatment, and assistance in managing her finances due to a legal consent requirement.

This made it possible to create a protected living environment that gave Ms Krause safety and the chance to gradually build a more stable, drug-free life.