I need guidance about my boyfriends heroin addiction. My boyfriend and I have been together for over four years, about three years into our relationship he got hooked on vicodin (prescribed for an injury from his doctor), this addiction led to him abusing the drug and then when his prescription ran out he started using oxy. which he bought from his "friends". This addiction progressed into a deliberating addiction to heroin. He used for about 7-8 months before confusing to me and his family and asking for help. He checked himself into rehab and completed a 30 day inpatient program and then continued his treatment in outpatient care. He was clean for almost a year and was working really hard on staying clean. I felt like after such a long road we had finally overcome his addiction and had moved onto a better place. About a month and half ago he decided to move himself off of his subxone and cut his dosage in-half (he did this without talking to his doctor first) when his prescription ran out he did not refill it but continued to get drug tested by his doctor and go to his outpatient meetings. A couple weeks after that he started to become depressed about his bad work and living situation, he stopped going to his outpatient care and about three weeks ago he relapsed and started to use heroin again. Two weeks after relapsing he contacted his parents and told them he needed help and needed to move away from the town we live in and move in with them and get help by going to intensive outpatient care (they live up in the mt. in a secure environment). A week after that I found out about his relapse and he told me that needed to go away and concentrate on getting his life together and figure out a way to deal with his problems without using drugs. I am taking it as a good sign that he admitted his problem and is taking the steps to get help. I know that I am not in control of him or his drug problem and the only thing I can do is be here for him if he ask me for help. The problem I am having now is that after his relapse I confessed to my mother about his drug use (she did not know before). She is very angry at me for not telling her before and is making things very difficult for me. I am 23 years old and am finishing up my college schooling and getting ready to move on with my masters. Because I am still in school I live at home (but work and pay my own bills), this is making the situation with my mother very difficult. She has demanded that I breakup with my boyfriend and told both me and my boyfriend that we are not to see or speak to each other again. She has told her friends about my situation and even told other family members (despite me asking her not to) and they have all felt free to voice their unwarranted opinions regarding my boyfriends drug addiction and our relationship. I understand that she is my mother and is doing what she feels is right to protect me from getting hurt. However, as an adult I know that I am free to make my own decisions, I know that she cannot protect me from getting hurt and that she cannot always be there for me to pick up the pieces when things fall apart. It was never my goal to be with someone who has addiction problems, however I know the person that he truly is and I have faith that he can live a sober life (as he does as well). I would not be with him if he was still doing drugs, but as he has taken active steps towards recovery and is no longer on drugs and in treatment I have decided to continue our relationship (as long as he lives a sober life). I was wondering if anyone has any advice about how to deal with my mom and prying family members?