The word drug addict stirs up images of individuals who have hit rock bottom, people who have made bad choices in life, or folks who are so seduced by the sense of a high that they give up everything they love to not have to come back down.
Those are the images most of us think about when we hear the word drug addict. And some go as far to say, “Maybe losing everything will finally wake them up,” and “They deserve to lose everything.”
What if you lost everything to drug addiction, yet you’ve never taken a drug in your life?
In this week’s Featured Story, The Serenity Prayer Helps Me from Facing Addiction in Knox County Kentucky: It’s Our Move, writer Mary Jenkins captured the story of Denise who has battled addiction her entire life—not her own, but the addictions of those who she loves. Addiction has been such a powerful force in Denise’s life; it’s cost her money, time, and almost her marriage.
Denise isn’t alone.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 23 million people over the age of 12 are addicted to some sort of drug, and millions more who are drug free are negatively affected by the choices addicts make.
In her story, Denise said:
I would never want anyone to have this pain inflicted on them. All my life I have seen devastation brought on by drugs and alcohol. I chose to be the good child growing up. Yet, I lost my mother, my sister, my daughter, and almost lost my marriage. Drugs and alcohol almost destroyed my life—and I’ve never abused either one.
You don’t have to be an addict to hit rock bottom or lose everything because of drugs.
If you or someone you know has been affected by addiction, please read and share Denise’s story. If you or someone you love needs to seek help for addiction, check out the website for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. where you can find resources local to your area.