Drug Addiction Stories & Info

I certainly never figured that my sweet little girl would ever become a drug addict, but she did. I watched as she became more and more reclusive and began to avoid family and friends. At least, friends that didn’t share her love of drugs. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was watch my beautiful, giggling little girl become a miserable, pathetic thief and drug addict.

At first, she would ask for money. Apparently that wasn’t enough to feed her habit. After a while, she stopped asking, but I would be missing money from my purse. I didn’t want to believe she was taking it at first, but then even her little sister had money come up missing. After a while, given the missing money and her behavior, I had to admit to myself that she was an addict. Confronting her with it was one of the most painful experiences of my life. She began screaming at me, calling me names she never had before. Suddenly it was as though it was my fault all of this was happening. Her addiction was my fault? In the mind of an addict, I guess so.

Soon, I was “the bitch”. I was the one who was responsible for everything that ever happened to her. She didn’t have a problem, I did. She wasn’t an addict, I was a bitch. To her it all made sense. To me, it made me more determined to get her help. The more I talked about getting her helped, the more she screamed. A few times, she walked out, slamming the door behind her, and left for days at a time. She was out getting high and I was home worried to death about her.  Sometimes she would come back and try to act as though nothing had happened. Other times, she would come back with an attitude expecting an apology from me.

I began to lock my money and my purse up in a lock box. That infuriated her. I also locked up my younger daughter’s money. I began to confront her about her addiction more often, which led to more screaming matches. After a while, I began to stop arguing with her and would just state my view and walk away. After 2 years of this, she finally got “it”. She finally realized that the rules weren’t going to change, that she would have to change. She would have to get help for her addiction. She did it, too. She got help and I got my little girl back. Somewhat worse for the wear, but she was back. Why should drug addicts be helped? Because they may be beautiful, wonderful people trapped in a world of addiction.

It happens innocently enough; someone goes to the doctor with an ailment and the medication the doctor prescribes not only takes care of the ailment, but also produces an addiction.  There are many people who are addicted to pain killers, anti-anxiety medications, and muscle relaxers, among others.  Of course, it was not the doctor’s intent to have anyone become addicted.

Certain drugs affect the brain in a very pleasant way.  These drugs can make one feel euphoric, they can decrease inhibitions and they can just make a body feel fantastic.  Because of this, the need for the drug continues on after it is therapeutically necessary.  Many addictions begin in this way.  Most people do not seek help because of the fact that a doctor prescribed the medication to begin with.  Regardless of how someone got the drug, if there is a drug addiction, it needs to be addressed.

Prescription drug addiction is no better or no worse than any other addiction.  It needs to be handled just the same.  If possible, when you first realize you may be addicted, contact your doctor.  If you do not feel comfortable contacting your doctor, contact a rehab center.  They are experienced in handling prescription drug addiction problems.

Women are three times more likely to be prescribed sedatives and two times more likely to become addicted.  The elderly and teens are also more susceptible to prescription drug addiction.  Seniors take more drugs than any other age group so they are very likely to form addictions.  The sharpest increase in prescription drug use is within the 12 through 17 age group.

Prescription drugs should be taken only for the ailment for which it was prescribed.  When the prescription is gone, one should not seek a refill unless the condition has not improved.  In that case, see the doctor again.  It is very easy to become addicted to prescription drugs and it can happen to anyone.  No one is immune.  Prescription drug addiction affects rich and poor, young and old.  Always use prescription drugs with caution and contact your doctor if you feel any indication at all that you may be becoming addicted.  It is almost impossible to tell how many people are actually addicted to prescription medications because there are so many who will not admit to it.  It is very common, however.  Chances are at least one person you know is addicted to prescription medication.

Drugs and drug addiction have been a part of human culture for thousands of years.  Marijuana was used medicinally as far back as 2737 BC and narcotics had their first mention back in 4000 BC.  Although the drugs have been in use for centuries, it wasn’t until the 19^th century that people began extracting drugs from plants and other sources to get drugs such as morphine and cocaine.  When these drugs were first put into use, they were given freely by medical doctors to patients.  It is estimated that by 1900 there were as many as 250,000 drug addicts in the United States alone.

The first law enacted against drugs was in 1875 and as drug use and abuse became more prevalent, more laws were enacted.  Drug use dwindled in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, but was significantly increasing again by the 1950’s.   Today, in the 2000’s, it has reached epidemic proportions.

With stressors on society, both real and imagined, there seems to be a natural tendency for many people to want to try any type of mind altering or psychotropic drug.  The need to relax, escape, forget or otherwise put aside the stress that they feel is usually the motivator for drug use.  Many people begin simply as a part of peer pressure.  Everyone at the party is doing it, so they do it to, just to try it.  Contrary to what many people may think, drug users are not all bad people.  Many of them are just normal, everyday people who get addicted to drugs or alcohol because of choices made in their life.

There are many types of addictions as well.  For many, addiction involves two or more substances.

• Alcohol addiction: Many times, but not always, this addiction begins in childhood or adolescence.  Children often get the alcohol from their parents supply at home without their knowledge
• Heroin: Heroin addiction is a very fast acting addiction.  It makes a person feel very euphoric and addiction can occur within a matter of a few days.
• Meth: Meth addiction is often begun as a way of losing weight and also for the euphoric feeling it offers.  It is an amphetamine and controls the appetite, which is often why people, especially females, begin using it.
• Methadone: Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction, but because it is an opiate, many people become addicted to it as well. 
• Prescription drugs: Doctors trying to treat a symptom often contribute to a drug addiction.  Muscle relaxers, anti-anxiety meds, and painkillers are among the most addictive prescription drugs there are.

Each century and each decade provides a great deal of information on drug and alcohol addiction and how it affected people of each era.  Here and now, there have never been as many people addicted to drugs and alcohol.