Hard Childhood Leads to Meth Abuse
Chris, in childhood, had a rough introduction to life, and this put him on a track that would lead to Meth and Alcohol abuse. Eventually, AA would offer him a path to redemption, but it was a long road until then.
He and the other kids in the family were neglected by their parents. His siblings were disabled, so a lot of the responsibility for their care fell on Chris. His dad wasn’t around much, and his mother became more and more absent, going to parties all the time. Sometimes, he had to make sure there was food to eat and he was often called out of school to babysit.
He didn’t know yet that his mother was suffering from addiction, herself. When his dad got out of prison, Chris went to live with him. He didn’t know how to make new friends, but he was curious to try Marijuana. Soon, he became a total “pot-head” and his relationships revolved around drug use.
The first time Chris tried Meth was at a desert party, and after that he was hooked.
Depression Hits with Drug Abuse
When he quit his job, Chris didn’t have the money to supply drugs for his friends anymore. He discovered that the people he thought were his friends only cared about drugs he got for them. He was crushed by this and became depressed as his Meth addiction grew.
During this time, Chris was arrested and went to county jail. He couldn’t get a grasp on things and wondered why he struggled so much.
He went to prison for the first time on fraud charges. He also replaced one addiction with another and his drinking got out of control.
Low Point in Addiction—A Scary Diagnosis
Chris discovered a bump behind his ear and went to the doctor. He learned that it was a lymph node, and that it had been caused by HIV. This was a terrifying reality and he didn’t want to face it; considering how deep he was in addiction, he probably wouldn’t have done anything to address it properly.
Thankfully, he told his family about his condition and his step-mom helped him get proper treatment. His addiction was thriving, though. The only way he could use without constantly lying to his family was to move away; so he did.
His drinking got so out of control that he stopped caring about going to the doctor or taking his medication.
Finding the Way Through AA
He wound up in prison again and was feeling very down about it. Little did he know, this would be when his life was going to change. His bunk mate in the first yard told him about an AA meeting and asked if he wanted to go.
There was a strong AA chapter in prison, and it offered Chris the support he needed to start turning his life around. He stayed sober for his entire sentence and has continued along that path since he got out. In recovery, he found the courage to be fully honest with himself and those he interacted with.
Chris began to tell his story, including his sensitive diagnosis of HIV. He wanted to be able to help others struggling, since he didn’t know who to turn to in his addiction. Because of his honesty, he has met others who were in the same position as him and formed a community of support and acceptance—something he continues to this day.
If you are struggling with drug or Alcohol addiction and want to get better, call (866) 578-7471. There are treatment services and AA chapters all over the place. Don’t suffer alone; reach out and find the community and help that you need.
