Often as youth in difficult situations it’s hard to see past the present challenges. One that appears so often is drugs. They’re a common substitute for real pleasure and youth in these cases are especially susceptible to their allure. It’s all too easy to just sink in to a routine of almost instantaneous pleasure. Having been previously addicted to drugs I can tell you it is more and more painful each and every time after you use. For me the drugs of choice were cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Naively, I began them in an attempt to stifle pain only realizing too late just how painful it is to wake up after binging and how much that pain begets wanting more relief. How did I release myself of these horrid patterns? Well, first I had to come to terms and feel all the pain of what I had done to myself and others. Then I had to find something I wanted more than any of these temporary feelings. The change must begin within you though. There are no magic cures in life only work and rewards. It’s up to us what we choose as reward even if it’s truly destroying us. I know choices are difficult and it can feel like giving up the drugs means giving up companionship but if the people you care about don’t accept you sober then they really don’t care about you what so ever.
- Kevin
Archive for the ‘Drugs’ Category
My Story of Devastation and Self-Redemption
Monday, January 3rd, 2011
Drinking When You’re Not 21
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Last school year we had a police officer come in and tell us about drugs and drinking under age. It was a program called D.A.R.E., which you probably know what it is. I do not approve of underage drinking. Drinking is for the adults, not us kids. Do you really want to get hooked to drinking and live a sad miserable life, or have no life at all? I mean, really, adults think it is a bad idea to drink sometimes, even though they can! If you are under age and you do drink, but nothing is happening to you, something will. Maybe, hopefully not, that you drink so much that you die from it. There’s always stories about a college student who had a good life ahead of her, but she drank and never saw daylight past that night. Oh yeah, and she was 18 or 19, and that may seem old enough for you. Well I hope this paragraph was useless to you, because you already know not to drink. But hey, I’m not your mom, so I hope you decide on what you do.
- Matt
Secrets
Saturday, September 11th, 2010
If I had a friend who had a secret or problem but couldn’t tell anyone, I would not tell them to suck it up and bear it, no, I would tell the friend, “I will not tell anyone”. For example, what if your friend did drugs, and the person would tell you for some reason. I would keep it secret, but tell the friend that he or she should tell at least their parents. Hopefully, hopefully, the parents will not tell, but help that person to stop. But, if that person refuses to report on what he had done, I would help him stop. You must try to help the friend in any way you can, unless it is so bad, you must tell someone. Now, if that was my friend, I would let him know one option is to call 1-800-RUNAWAY. It would help some of my friends. See what type of person your friend is, and think if it will help them to call and let someone anonymous listen to their problems.
- Matt
Not A Role Model For Me
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
On the left: Lindsay in 2006. On the right: Lindsay in 2009. Not a pretty picture.
Remember how innocent certain celebrities used to be when they were younger? Take Lindsay Lohan for example. She played the lead in The Parent Trap and other awesome movies. Teens used to love her. I know I did. Who didn’t love Lindsay and her cute red hair? Now all you see about her is her doing drugs and going into rehab every few months. The paparazzi is always focusing on the negative. Not too long ago she was sentenced for 90 days in jail for disobeying her parole. She was upset of course. Her face and her speech of apology was all over the news. We grew up with her and it’s sad to see that someone who we looked up to all these years and thought looked cool is messing her life up. She was a great role model until she got into her bad habits. It teaches preteens that messing up looks cool but in reality ends badly.
- Tatiana