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Posted by: pondlifepoo on 2009-09-15, 05:35:20
I have only experience of crack-cocaine and heroin - not crystal meth, which I have never taken. However I have been addicted to crack and heroin for ten years, clean for three months now. Personally, I have no problem with recreational users of ANY drug. However I think one of the main problems is that a lot of addicts begin as recreational or part-time users and then over time the tendency is for drug-use to increase. You have to be a very strong-willed person who has extremely high self-control for this not to happen. For example, if something bad happens to you in your life, such as the loss of a loved one, the break-up of a long-term relationship, redunancy and unemployment, etc, then it would be very tempting to fall back on drugs as a crutch. This can happen to anyone but it is a lot more likely if you are already involved with drugs, albeit recreationally only. It is just so easy for 2 times a week to turn to 3 times to turn to 4, etc, and before you know it the drug is all you think about and all you do. Basically, I don't condemn anyone for drug-use - I wish I could still do drugs on a recreational level, unfortunately I know I can't - but I really worry that any recreational user is playing with fire and is basically an addict who doesn't know it yet (an addict in waiting if you like!). Remember that in the past a lot of 'responsible' adults, such as doctors for example took heroin or morphine as a way of dealing with their high-pressure jobs. These are addicts who were very well-respected in society, had good, well-paid jobs and were the epitome of respectability. Also as doctors they knew all the dangers of drugs and yet these people still got addicted and messed up their lives. As for my own story, I was at university studying for a degree in politics when I got involved with drugs. I'd smoked weed since I was 15 years but at the age of 21 I moved to a big city to study and I 'discovered' cocaine. As I was incredibly shy coke was the perfect drug for me. Through the people I met (the circles I was moving in) using coke, I got introduced to crack and later heroin. I never lost sight of my ambitions or my responsibilities though - I struggled through university (dropped out for one semester and had to repeat one year), my degree took me 5 years instead of 3 but I still got it - something I am very proud of. I am now trying to get a masters degree to put me back in touch with the work market as unfortunately when I left uni I really succumbed to my addiction - lost a job, signed on the dole, suffered with depression, and just gave in/ up and took drugs every single day. I'm on the long road to recovery right now but I would hate to see anyone else think that they too could 'handle' drugs and be responsible enough to not become an addict. Believe me, please, it can happen to ANYONE, no matter what kind of person you are, or what walk of life you come from. Be so, so careful. |
