When I first learned that my daughter, Jennifer, was using heroin, I truly believed it was something she could beat. After all, she had withdrawn. Didn't withdrawal mean it is no longer in your system? I realized how hard it was to go cold turkey when she told me about her body caving in during the withdrawal week. That's why I was so sure we could move ahead. Boy, was I naive.
"Addiction" doesn't go away just because someone withdraws. When I began my "Recovery Journey" with Jennifer, I went to numerous meetings. Some of the facilities she stayed at required you, the family member, to participate in order to see your family member. I wanted to seem totally supportive, so I went.
When I attended these meetings, the leaders and the participants would talk about drug addiction as a "disease." Disease? No--not in my mind. "Choice" was more like it. I believed addicts had a choice whether or not they wanted to pic up that needle and insert it into their body. And I stuck with that thought for many years.
The way I made peace with Jennifer's death is by changing my stand. I do believe that addiction is a disease. I also believe that the only time the addict has a choice is before the first needle of heroin enters the body. It is like injecting "cancer cells" in the body that overtakes it. When someone with an addiction has a clean period, they are in drug "remission." When they are using, it's as if the cancer has raised its ugly head.
This is how I view addiction. How do you feel? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
"Addiction" doesn't go away just because someone withdraws. When I began my "Recovery Journey" with Jennifer, I went to numerous meetings. Some of the facilities she stayed at required you, the family member, to participate in order to see your family member. I wanted to seem totally supportive, so I went.
When I attended these meetings, the leaders and the participants would talk about drug addiction as a "disease." Disease? No--not in my mind. "Choice" was more like it. I believed addicts had a choice whether or not they wanted to pic up that needle and insert it into their body. And I stuck with that thought for many years.
The way I made peace with Jennifer's death is by changing my stand. I do believe that addiction is a disease. I also believe that the only time the addict has a choice is before the first needle of heroin enters the body. It is like injecting "cancer cells" in the body that overtakes it. When someone with an addiction has a clean period, they are in drug "remission." When they are using, it's as if the cancer has raised its ugly head.
This is how I view addiction. How do you feel? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
