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In California, you can be conserved for a few reasons.

You can have a LPS conservatorship if you are gravely disabled, and that requires a lot of documentation, it requires proof that you are incapable of providing for your own basic needs in spite of repeated attempts of intensive treatment, and that you are unwilling to participate in treatment on your own. Finally, there has to be evidence that these problems have to be due to a mental disorder - and all of this has to be presented to a judge, who will make the final determination if enough evidence has been provided that a conservatorship is in your best interest. We only conserve people who we fear could die without it.

There are also Probate Conservatorships, which have more to do with property and assets than with your personal rights.

Under an LPS conservatorship, you cannot consent to any financial transaction (Other than maybe spending a small amount of money which your conservator will give to you at his / her discretion.) You may not drive, vote, or refuse treatment of any kind (Except for ECT or Neurosurgery.) You essentially lose all of your rights for a period of six months to a year - the conservatorship is usually reviewed at six months, and either allowed to lapse or renewed at one year.

Probate conservatorships are a whole different ballgame.

However, with drugs, unless you are a mentally ill person whose drug use is exacerbating your mental illness to the degree that you cannot care for your own basic needs, your recovery is on you. Courts can force you into inpatient recovery in lieu of prison / jail time, but that's different than what you are talking about.

And when it comes to these things, the differences regulations from state to state varies so much, everything I just wrote may be completely incongruent with the way your state handles these matters. For example, in California, a family member can't just "Check in" someone for a psychiatric evaluation against their will. Each county designates who is qualified to write "5150 holds" (Application for a 72 hour involuntary psychiatric evaluation) and only a psychiatrist can decide whether the person should remain for 72 hours, or go home that day... or stay longer.

I have heard that in other states, family members can still petition for involuntary treatment - but I don't know that for sure.

Bottom line - in California, if you want to stop using, you have to make a decision.

I know that isn't what you want to hear - I know you wanted to hear that there is some way to have that decision forced on you.

I know that won't happen in this state unless a judge says "You are going to rehab, or you will do time," and even THEN, you are making a choice - because failing to choose to show up as ordered by the court is choosing to go to prison, bottom line.

Eve... recovery is something that, for me, I had to do for myself. My monkey was a bytch too... but it came down to a decision.

The monkey, or me... and no one could make that decision BUT me - I let the monkey do my thinking for WAY TOO LONG prior to that.

Sorry...