Summer 2023- More Anti-Drug events

I’m back again with more anti-drug events for teens! This event in
August featured a member of Alcoholics Anonymous named Daniela.

Daniela was a heavy opioid user for about 10 years. She stated that she
started with marijuana, went on to alcohol and cocaine, and also went
through a period where she would try anything and everything. Daniela
was involved in a criminal lifestyle and had to work extremely hard to
get drugs every single day. She was lucky enough to avoid prison and
homelessness during her addiction.

When her part of the event had concluded, I was able to go over a more
thorough breakdown of an “average day” in the life of an addict. This is
something the teens were curious about and I think most addicts who are
guest speakers don’t tend to go over these details.

An average day in the life of an addict is something that’s far more
difficult that anything you or I have ever been through. They are being
squeezed into a corner by a multitude of factors.

1- The threat of withdrawal symptoms is something that is always looming
over them. Opioid withdrawal is a terrifying and life changing
experience. Most opioid addicts say that withdrawal causes extreme
depression, constant anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of being close
to death.

2- Addicts cannot function well enough to maintain a normal job. They
also can’t pass a drug test to get a job. They need money for drugs
every day or they get withdrawal. This results in them being boxed in
and they end up gravitating towards a life of crime. They feel there is
no other option.

3- Every day becomes a cycle of withdrawal, committing crimes to get
drug money, scoring drugs, getting high, and then the cycle begins again.

The financial burden of an addiction, combined with no chance of getting
a job, and the stress of a criminal lifestyle results in permanent
changes in that person. It can take years to be rehabilitated into
someone who can function normally.

In this talk I was able to spell out this cycle to the teens in the
group and answer lots of questions. I’m looking forward to more
anti-drug events this year and in 2024.