The fact there was no reply probably confirms your suspicions that it was just a story and you did the right thing. But like I said please don’t beat yourself up.
I know what you mean about seeing the groups of lads out and the way it made you feel as at one point I went from being one of the lads out in the sun to the guy sitting in his room alone looking out at them.
Unfortunately with any addiction I don’t think anyone will quit until they truly want to he needs to want to stop himself. This normally happens when a person gets to the point where they feel they have lost so much and they don’t want to lose any more which is sad. Because it means they have to go through so much heart ache first.
In all honesty I wish I could go back and warn myself about what my future would end up like and tell myself to stop way before it got to the point it did because I nearly lost everything.
Maybe show him this forum and show him some of the posts of people. Who are in similar situations. I don’t know if it’s allowed but I’d be more than happy to talk to him. I’m 29 so just about still in the age bracket where he might listen to what I have to say because I just wasted the best years of my life like 21 to 28 on this stuff and would do anything to be able to go back and reliventhemvwithiut my addiction.
Stay strong and I hope you and you’re brother are well xx