Friday's rant
*I watched an Oprah show last week that had a crystal meth addict on it. She was 17, and her family wanted to put her in treatment. She was very pretty and poised, and you could never tell by looking at her that she had a drug problem.
*Last night, I was at a t-ball game and was visiting with a friend. She was telling me about her brother's addiction to meth. He started using it to stay awake at his job, and then he got hooked. He lost his home, wife, child, and had to go to jail. Now he is "starting over."
*A parent of one of my students is steadily in and out of jail. She is addicted to crack cocaine, and because of it, is in a custody struggle for her children. Not only is she an addict, but also her mother (in her sixties) and aunt are addicted as well. The student lives with her GREAT-grandmother.
I don't know how I have gone through 26 years of my life without even encountering weed socially. It is heartbreaking to see the lives that are affected by these "I will only TRY it once" decisions. Is there hope for these kinds of people? My husband says that most of his coworkers consider this type of drug use a lifetime commitment. That even if these people get clean, they will fight until death to resume their lives without HOURLY thinking about their drug of choice.
I know that drugs are prevalent among high school students.
I know there are party drugs that go along with being a college student.
Ironically, just last year, the drug-abstinence club was disbanded at our high school because of lack of funds. What DO we have funds for? Sports?
Anyway, this is my rant for the day. Please feel free to post a success story here, because they are so few and far between.
*Last night, I was at a t-ball game and was visiting with a friend. She was telling me about her brother's addiction to meth. He started using it to stay awake at his job, and then he got hooked. He lost his home, wife, child, and had to go to jail. Now he is "starting over."
*A parent of one of my students is steadily in and out of jail. She is addicted to crack cocaine, and because of it, is in a custody struggle for her children. Not only is she an addict, but also her mother (in her sixties) and aunt are addicted as well. The student lives with her GREAT-grandmother.
I don't know how I have gone through 26 years of my life without even encountering weed socially. It is heartbreaking to see the lives that are affected by these "I will only TRY it once" decisions. Is there hope for these kinds of people? My husband says that most of his coworkers consider this type of drug use a lifetime commitment. That even if these people get clean, they will fight until death to resume their lives without HOURLY thinking about their drug of choice.
I know that drugs are prevalent among high school students.
I know there are party drugs that go along with being a college student.
Ironically, just last year, the drug-abstinence club was disbanded at our high school because of lack of funds. What DO we have funds for? Sports?
Anyway, this is my rant for the day. Please feel free to post a success story here, because they are so few and far between.
posted by Amanda
at
9:31 AM
8 Comments:
amanda, i'm with you. i don't know how i have managed to go through 26 years of my life without ever even being OFFERED drugs. i've never even been around people doing drugs.
how did we make it? i think it is God's grace.
Unfortunately, I don't have a success story. Channing's mother is a meth user/abuser and can't get off drugs long enough to see her daughter who is now 1 1/2 years old. She hasn't seen her in 8 months because she won't/can't pass the drug test required by CPS. It is sad, disgusting and infuriating.
Using drugs is a choice, just like drinking. I know that will tick some people off, but I believe if you put yourself in the situation to use if you are an abuser (okay, addict), then you will.
Some can drink socially and even smoke pot socially without it ever interferring with their everyday functions. A majority cannot. Most use it as an escape. A feeling that takes them away from their reality until that drugged or drunken state becomes their reality.
*stepping gingerly off soapbox*
jes, it must be grace, because i was not wise about decisions i made in high school or college. there were definitely times when my choices could have drastically changed my life, but thankfully drugs like these were never part of those times.
I agree that drugs are a choice, initially, bit once one is addicted, it's not easy to stop. However, it is possible and those who don't stop are the ones we have to deal with. I think the saddest thing is to see these drug addicts have children. That's really a sore spot with me, as is the lack of funding you mentioned. I don't get that one! Why is football more important???????????
I did pot for awhile before I was a christian, and have drank socially. Luckily I was never one of the ones that looked at it like it was a permanent excape to real problems, and have walked away with out looking back.
What I actually find to be the hardest issues to overcome is eating to cope, fast food, or anything like that. Don't get me wrong I am not 10,000 pounds but I have definitely gained weight from it, and trying to loose it. It's a constant battle of mind over matter.
Anyways, I like your blog and keep up the good work. :)
I don't know, I think alcohol and drugs are two completely different issues, largely because one is legal and socially acceptable and the other isn't. I know a lot of people who drink socially and have never had a problem with it, and a few who have. Those who have problems have other underlying issues that lead them to use drinking as a band aid, and until those issues are recognized and dealt with, the drinking will continue.
Drus, are something else, and while tried pot a couple times in college, it never did anything for me. I've never so much as been offered anything else though I've heard stories about crack and coke and x and lsd.
Vanessa is right though--once you're hooked, you're hooked, and crystal meth, from what I've read is something crazy like 1000 times more addictive than regular coke (which is already very addictive). People make bad choices all the time, and I've yet to hear about anyone who set out to become a drug addict or an alcoholic or any other kind of substance-abuser. These people are people in pain, whether physical or emotional. To write tham off or cut off support for programs to help them is just cruel.
(Now I'm the one on my way down from the soapbox)
i think there is a huge difference between drugs and drinking. i never meant to imply that there wasn't. drinking can be a responsible, adult social activity.
i don't think cutting programs for drug addicts is the answer either. but they have to desire the change. i don't think you can throw someone in a program before they are ready. that is a waste of money and effort on everyone's part.
it just seems like such a desolate situation to be in.
(anyone else want the soapbox? i'm done.)
The topic of discussion is endless so I'll refrain from hopping back on the soap box. But thank you for the thought provoking blog, lil sista!
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