social condition

[samo]

I've been paroozing the profiles on this web site and It has honestly shocked me how many people here are my age. we are young able minded able bodied people. How the hell could all of this happen by such a young age. Some one made the comment that a person told them the weren't an addict because they were young and it's so scary that that is simplely not true. Is this a social condition of our era? Is it that when the depression rate climbed due to change in the communities involvement of our children and lives we decided to flush every thing, our minds, our bodies and our souls down a needle, straw or what ever else we can think of? At least we know now that we are not alone in wanting to change. It seems some times that we are, with the scorn and reidicule drug addicts face in day to day life. I can't go a day with out hearing a joke about a crack user. Every other day about a junky. Is there a way to make people understand? If so could some one tell me because I have no F@$#&*g clue!

[Stephanie]

Hi Samo,

Actually from my understanding addiction is not always a choice. I don't think people plan to end up living on the street or in jail or wherever drugs happen to bring them. There are a lot of factors that contribute to the whys and hows of why one person will get addicted and one will not. some of it's genetic and yes, some of it is environmentally influenced. To tell you the truth, personally I feel that the culture of younger people today have a lot to do with ignorance on the part of the parents. We're just starting to educate people about the realities of drug abuse and availability.

Don't be fooled though, people have been using mind altering substances since the beginning of time. Just cause they were smoking it out of a Huka or bootlegging it out of the back of a truck, doesn't mean the same things were not going on then. We're lucky that there is less ignorance about addiction and more resources to help us.

[Mark B]

Hey Samo,
Great Rant!

I think (and this is just my opinion) that people with addictive personalities are wired that way. It is in our genes, just as are sexual prefrence, or our hair and eye color. It is there from birth, passed on through our lineage.

If you check out "Recovery stories" you will find that most of the people sharing their stories all started very young. That's not to say that addictions dont on set in some people till later in life, it just depends on when the catalyst is fired, thus sparking the addiction.

This is not a social condition of "our" era, but of every era, since the begining of man kind. It just happens to be "our" era and we are the ones with the proplems right now.

I was 18 when my father unexpectedly dropped dead of a heart attack at the age of 45. This was the catalyst that set off my addiction.

I'll be 39 next week.

I have spent twenty years as a "child of the comunity" as you sort of put it. The only time the community tried to help was when I landed in jail.

Twenty years of trying to kill my self, because when my dad died, I wanted to die right along with him.

I believe that this catalyst also set off my syblings addictions, we are "wired" the same. The funny thing is, is that mon and dad didn't have an addictive bone in theirs bodies, well except to each other. My mom never turned to booze or pills after his death wich sill amazes me.

Now Grandma, she drank scotch like a sailor. They say it skips a generation in some familys.

I wish I could give you "the" answer Samo, but for me, I have finally laid my dad to rest, and am at peace with his passing.

Now that I know what set of my addiction and my desire to just die,
I can try to start to live.

Look for your catalyst Grasshopper, good luck.

[Chy]

You make me very proud Mark!! I'm glad you have found some peace in the begining of your recovery. The solution and answers will continue to reveal themselves to you as you walk this road, with me by your side.

[Chy]

Samo,

Keep stepping forward in understanding your addiction. Find the support so readily available and learn to love yourself again. Your so worth it!