Really getting sick of this

[Anonymous]

I found out something awful today. My ex boyfriend, high school boyfriend, we were together for almost 5 years and engaged before I broke up with him, his youngest brother died Friday from a heroin overdose at the age of 31.   I was close with and attached to this family. I haven't seen or spoke with any of them in about a decade.  We all have mutual friends and such, so I was informed of this today.  The family was hit hard by the economy, the mothers job was outsourced and the father's business hasn't been doing well....so they lost their house back in 2010 and have no money to bury their son.  My husband and I plan to donate. I really hate this demon that is addiction....I've seen so many people die the past few years. Young people. Intelligent, bright, creative and beatiful people. I'm sick of this, this world that destroys souls and hearts.  Is it just me, or does it seem like there is more pain and brokenness in the world than there was 10 years ago?

[Anonymous]

I found out something awful today. My ex boyfriend, high school boyfriend, we were together for almost 5 years and engaged before I broke up with him, his youngest brother died Friday from a heroin overdose at the age of 31.   I was close with and attached to this family. I haven't seen or spoke with any of them in about a decade.  We all have mutual friends and such, so I was informed of this today.  The family was hit hard by the economy, the mothers job was outsourced and the father's business hasn't been doing well....so they lost their house back in 2010 and have no money to bury their son.  My husband and I plan to donate. I really hate this demon that is addiction....I've seen so many people die the past few years. Young people. Intelligent, bright, creative and beatiful people. I'm sick of this, this world that destroys souls and hearts.  Is it just me, or does it seem like there is more pain and brokenness in the world than there was 10 years ago?

I feel for you Dove. I work in a business where addiction to booze and drugs is widespread. I have had problems myself. I was able to put the brakes on it before it buried me. I have known many who couldn't.



I do not think it is worse today than ten years ago. That my be because I have not been around that scene for more than fifteen years.

[Romero]

I don't think it's worse than ten years ago, though it may often feel like it. Poverty and addiction sucks. Hard drugs are not for me but I can understand the temptation for others. Sometimes life sucks so bad that people will do anything to take them away from it all. The poor area of my city is famous for heroin use. It's so bad, there's a supervised injection site just to stop all the overdoses and provide any form of help.



Though of course it's not just the poor. Anybody, even the most successful and wealthiest can feel the same way. Drugs like heroin are a health problem.



A coworker of mine is a former heroin addict. He got real messed up. Stole from his family, friends, us coworkers and even my ex's purse once. Now he's got a wife, step kids and grandchildren. Back to doing a good job and all is okay and forgotten. Living in a house out in the 'burbs. He may actually have a better life now than he did before his problems.



In a way, it's no different than all the other addictions many of us depend on. Only this one will really mess you up and kill you in no time. The biggest shame is why anybody would need anything like heroin in the first place.

[Anonymous]

I sold my car for 200 and 2 grams of dope....then the next day used the 200 to buy 2 more grams of dope. Then the day after that I pimped out my friend from high school to my drug dealer. Uuhg.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's worse than ten years ago, though it may often feel like it. Poverty and addiction sucks. Hard drugs are not for me but I can understand the temptation for others. Sometimes life sucks so bad that people will do anything to take them away from it all. The poor area of my city is famous for heroin use. It's so bad, there's a supervised injection site just to stop all the overdoses and provide any form of help.



Though of course it's not just the poor. Anybody, even the most successful and wealthiest can feel the same way. Drugs like heroin are a health problem.



A coworker of mine is a former heroin addict. He got real messed up. Stole from his family, friends, us coworkers and even my ex's purse once. Now he's got a wife, step kids and grandchildren. Back to doing a good job and all is okay and forgotten. Living in a house out in the 'burbs. He may actually have a better life now than he did before his problems.



In a way, it's no different than all the other addictions many of us depend on. Only this one will really mess you up and kill you in no time. The biggest shame is why anybody would need anything like heroin in the first place.

I never did heroin. But I can tell you when I was abusing alcohol and substances, I never thought I needed it. I was working very hard, making great money and when I was not working, I was partying. I lived the rig pig lifestyle. I was doing this in countries where I could have been executed too. Sometimes I wonder how I am still alive.

[J0E]

To answer your question, yes there is more pain and broken people than 10 years especially as it relates to drug addiction. The drugs are more lethal, toxic and the pushers are more aggressive than ever. This is what folks living in these neighborhoods have told me. The pushers got their clients the street people hooked first, then graduated them to harder drugs, so now they can't escape this life of drug addiction. There's a part in Vancouver Canada called the Downtown Eastside (DTES for short).



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Vancouver_Downtown_Eastside.jpg">



Its the poorest zip code/neighborhood in the country where many residents live a life of addiction, homelessness and crime. Scenes of addicts using needles in alleys are very common and they do it in broad daylight.



http://mail.walrusmagazine.com/gallery/Vancouver_GAL01_JANFEB08.jpg">

[Bricktop]

Life is toxic.



People use a variety of medications to try and cope with it.



But what compelled you to take YOUR first hit?

[Romero]

To answer your question, yes there is more pain and broken people than 10 years especially as it relates to drug addiction. The drugs are more lethal, toxic and the pushers are more aggressive than ever. This is what folks living in these neighborhoods have told me. The pushers got their clients the street people hooked first, then graduated them to harder drugs, so now they can't escape this life of drug addiction. There's a part in Vancouver Canada called the Downtown Eastside (DTES for short).



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Vancouver_Downtown_Eastside.jpg">



Its the poorest zip code/neighborhood in the country where many residents live a life of addiction, homelessness and crime. Scenes of addicts using needles in alleys are very common and they do it in broad daylight.



http://mail.walrusmagazine.com/gallery/Vancouver_GAL01_JANFEB08.jpg">

True, but how about all those "high class" drugs like cocaine, Oxycontin and now Fentanyl? Legal prescription and painkiller drug abuse kills more people than all "narcotic" drugs combined.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, yes there is more pain and broken people than 10 years especially as it relates to drug addiction. The drugs are more lethal, toxic and the pushers are more aggressive than ever. This is what folks living in these neighborhoods have told me. The pushers got their clients the street people hooked first, then graduated them to harder drugs, so now they can't escape this life of drug addiction. There's a part in Vancouver Canada called the Downtown Eastside (DTES for short).



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Vancouver_Downtown_Eastside.jpg">



Its the poorest zip code/neighborhood in the country where many residents live a life of addiction, homelessness and crime. Scenes of addicts using needles in alleys are very common and they do it in broad daylight.



http://mail.walrusmagazine.com/gallery/Vancouver_GAL01_JANFEB08.jpg">

True, but how about all those "high class" drugs like cocaine, Oxycontin and now Fentanyl? Legal prescription and painkiller drug abuse kills more people than all "narcotic" drugs combined.

The drilling contractor I am working with now has a toolpush who had a prescription drug addiction. When he could not get a prescription filled by his doctor, he got it filled by the Hell's Angels.

[Anonymous]

Life is toxic.



People use a variety of medications to try and cope with it.



But what compelled you to take YOUR first hit?

I was abandoned by my addict mother and left operating on a false belief that I was worthless.  I acted out and suffered painful consequences that inspired me to self medicate.  It started with males, went to alcohol and went to narcotics. Seeking significance in things that don't fix it.   Also....in response to frank, it's not so much street dealers. By the time you are having a dialog with a dealer the damage is already there....it's what leads.  Now it's big pharma.  Doctors are the top drug dealers.

[Bricktop]

So, in fact, its not the drug that is the problem. Its society, and the breakdown of the family unit. Its because people breed, but don't want to be parents.



But you're background is very similar to mine. I did not succumb to drugs or alcohol. What makes us different then?

[Anonymous]

Life is toxic.



People use a variety of medications to try and cope with it.



But what compelled you to take YOUR first hit?

I was abandoned by my addict mother and left operating on a false belief that I was worthless.  I acted out and suffered painful consequences that inspired me to self medicate.  It started with males, went to alcohol and went to narcotics. Seeking significance in things that don't fix it.   Also....in response to frank, it's not so much street dealers. By the time you are having a dialog with a dealer the damage is already there....it's what leads.  Now it's big pharma.  Doctors are the top drug dealers.

What an amazing turnaround our Lord has given you.

[Anonymous]

So, in fact, its not the drug that is the problem. Its society, and the breakdown of the family unit. Its because people breed, but don't want to be parents.



But you're background is very similar to mine. I did not succumb to drugs or alcohol. What makes us different then?

Yes to the first part, in its simplest form.  Second part....we probably aren't very different.  Your heroin is probably the internet. Before that.. perhaps work. Maybe porn. Porn is a big one.  Perhaps gambling or gaming.  If the Internet(or your chosen poison) was gone, you'd simply find the next thing.  You probably think that's just what people do....everyone has a "vice" in your thinking, right? I see people in NA, addicted to recovery,  addicted to approval,  Addicted to fitness,  Addicted to food.  It's like an iceburg, the actual using behavior is only the 30 percent sticking out of the water....and that 70 percent is still down there safely out of sight.

[Aryan]

Heroin addiction is a particularly nasty affliction, and overdose is an all too common thing....



Its a drug which I would never ever try.

[asal]

I found out something awful today. My ex boyfriend, high school boyfriend, we were together for almost 5 years and engaged before I broke up with him, his youngest brother died Friday from a heroin overdose at the age of 31.   I was close with and attached to this family. I haven't seen or spoke with any of them in about a decade.  We all have mutual friends and such, so I was informed of this today.  The family was hit hard by the economy, the mothers job was outsourced and the father's business hasn't been doing well....so they lost their house back in 2010 and have no money to bury their son.  My husband and I plan to donate. I really hate this demon that is addiction....I've seen so many people die the past few years. Young people. Intelligent, bright, creative and beatiful people. I'm sick of this, this world that destroys souls and hearts.  Is it just me, or does it seem like there is more pain and brokenness in the world than there was 10 years ago?

This part is what struck me.  That would be miserable.  The people in the family who are contributing financially are coming up against a changed economy.  The mother's job was outsourced.  The father's business is struggling.  Very tough situation.  If anything changed in 10 years ... I don't live in the states so my opinion on whether the economy has changed for them is from the outside - looks like it.