Ready for a life change?

Old habits die hard. I don't know how many times I've resolved to do this or that, and then it just keeps getting put off. So I guess I must have understood when my patient said:
"Doc, I'm ready for a life change."

You see, this patient has had multiple hospitalizations for seizures in recent months. Some were amphetamine-related seizures, some were alcohol withdrawal seizures. Now he's here again after seizing, falling, and breaking his jaw. Ouch. That's a wake-up call, and the patient agreed.

He said, "I think this is my chance. I'm really going to quit all that stuff and stay off of it. Really, I haven't used any of it in the past 5 days, and I really haven't needed it."

So I commended him on his resolve and encouraged him still to seek out support groups so he could stay off of "that stuff." I told him that if he stayed off of all of it, he may not need seizure medicines, and he may not have any more seizures. Then as I turned to go, I asked if he had any more questions.

"Just one. So is there anything out there that is not amphetamines, not alcohol, that will not cause seizures, that I could still use to party with?"

Well, I guess he wasn't quite ready for that life change yet.