Strange but true.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Wilmington, DE
Posts: 393
Strange but true.
This was sent to me as an "Internet joke", but there is a considerable amount of truth in it.
This morning I was sitting on a park bench next to a homeless man. I started a conversation by asking him how he ended up this way.
He said, "Up until last week, I still had it all. I had plenty to eat, my clothes were washed and pressed, I had a roof over my head, I had TV and Internet, and I went to the gym, the pool, and the library. I was working on my MBA on-line. I had no bills and no debt.
I even had full medical coverage."
I felt sorry for him, so I asked, "What happened? Drugs? Alcohol? Divorce?"
"Oh no, nothing like that," he said. " I got out of prison."
I commented on this topic in another thread an d rather than hijack that thread, I thought it would be better to start a new thread.
Several parents in my Nar-Anon home group have said that while their kids were in active addiction they worried that they would get arrested for some charge or another and be sentenced to jail.
It was their thought that, short of dying from an overdose, going to jail was the worst thing that could happen to their child. Eventually their child was arrested and sentenced to jail for something - drug possession, thefts to support their habit, whatever.
Once their child was in jail, they discovered that they were more relaxed than before - they knew where their child was and that they had shelter, food, healthcare and that they were no longer using.
More than one of these kids found lasting sobriety while they were incarcerated, either on their own, or through prison run programs.
Just food for thought if you ever find yourself in this situation.
Keep coming back,
Jim
This morning I was sitting on a park bench next to a homeless man. I started a conversation by asking him how he ended up this way.
He said, "Up until last week, I still had it all. I had plenty to eat, my clothes were washed and pressed, I had a roof over my head, I had TV and Internet, and I went to the gym, the pool, and the library. I was working on my MBA on-line. I had no bills and no debt.
I even had full medical coverage."
I felt sorry for him, so I asked, "What happened? Drugs? Alcohol? Divorce?"
"Oh no, nothing like that," he said. " I got out of prison."
I commented on this topic in another thread an d rather than hijack that thread, I thought it would be better to start a new thread.
Several parents in my Nar-Anon home group have said that while their kids were in active addiction they worried that they would get arrested for some charge or another and be sentenced to jail.
It was their thought that, short of dying from an overdose, going to jail was the worst thing that could happen to their child. Eventually their child was arrested and sentenced to jail for something - drug possession, thefts to support their habit, whatever.
Once their child was in jail, they discovered that they were more relaxed than before - they knew where their child was and that they had shelter, food, healthcare and that they were no longer using.
More than one of these kids found lasting sobriety while they were incarcerated, either on their own, or through prison run programs.
Just food for thought if you ever find yourself in this situation.
Keep coming back,
Jim
Nature Girl
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: By The Lake
Posts: 60,328
First, I love the story and yes, there is a ring of truth to it all.
I have seen many here watch their adult children find sobriety and programs while in jail that helped them get back on a good path. Those that sought support after being released often did well in turning their lives around. Some needed the lesson repeated, others were fast learners but jail is often the place where they are forced to get clean and sober and have the opportunity to find helpful options. Even the medical care has saved lives that would have been lost if still on the street.
Hugs
I have seen many here watch their adult children find sobriety and programs while in jail that helped them get back on a good path. Those that sought support after being released often did well in turning their lives around. Some needed the lesson repeated, others were fast learners but jail is often the place where they are forced to get clean and sober and have the opportunity to find helpful options. Even the medical care has saved lives that would have been lost if still on the street.
Hugs
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