Drugs and Desperation
Addiction is a disease that has no known cure. It can manifest in any body regardless of religion, race or creed. It hits no specific age group- it can attack the strongest and most powerful people without warning. An addiction starts by experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Some people experiment and have no repercussions. Others find it hard to stop.
Those who find it hard to stop eventually become physically dependent on the substance and the mind and soul becomes dependent as well. When someone is physically dependent he or she will do anything to get the desired high. A person who is addicted is desperate for the drugs and alcohol- nothing will stand in the way of getting them. This can come with many consequences because drugs and alcohol will take you down a path you never imagined.
Desperation and The Law
When people are experiencing withdrawal symptoms, nothing is going to stop them from getting high. They will go to any lengths to get the euphoric feeling they so crave. This can mean trouble for some. It is possible your addiction will take you so low you will do almost anything, including getting in trouble with the law.
The expenses of drugs and alcohol add up. You will run out of money with no means to get more. However, you need more, you crave more and you will do anything to get more. Whatever it takes to get a needle in your arm.
You remember going to your neighbor’s house and seeing the brand new flat screen television they just got and know how much you can sell it for. The thought crosses your mind to go and take it but you know your dealer will front you.
You call your dealer and he says, “find a way to get the money I am done giving this stuff for free.” Your heart drops and rage takes over. You wait till the sun goes down and you call a friend that you know has stolen something before.
You and this “friend” have a pact. You split the money you get from stealing the television and both go your separate ways when you are done. You feel your heart pounding out of your chest, questioning yourself, not knowing if you really want to do this. But the pain of withdrawal is so strong you feel no remorse.
As you are sweating, shaking of fear, you enter the house. Your friend sneezes and your neighbors run down stairs. Everything happen so fast you didn’t know what to do- so you run. You see the shining lights of the cop cars and here a deputy yelling at you to stop running. You don’t listen but they eventually catch up to you and next thing you know you are in the back of a cop car as a convicted felon.
Desperation took over your mind, body and soul. You would do anything for that drug, that high, the taste, the smell of it, that drug has become your best friend but also your own worst enemy.
Desperation as a Gift of Recovery
Your sitting in the jail cell withdrawals are bad as ever. You are throwing up, shaking, your body aches and you want to die. They call you in for court and you sentenced with 6 months jail time. The first thing that comes to your mind is, “what am I going to do without Heroin.” Weeks go by and you start to feel better without Heroin. Your body doesn’t need it anymore but it is on you mind all day every day.
You come to the point where you realize what your life has come too. You were homeless, starving, robbing homes, stealing cars and lost in a world with no hope. But the hope is coming back. After some clean time, you are now desperate to stay clean.
You start getting involved with a 12-step program just as Lydia did in the video above. Your program is in jail but it is preparing you to get out and live a better life. You become hopeful. You are no longer desperate for drugs, you are desperate to live and be free.
The deputy calls your name and you are being released. You have 6 months clean and feel better than you ever have. You are putting your recovery first and everything is following. You have your own apartment, bought a dog and are working a job in recovery. You remember what it is like to be happy and smile. Life has never been better and it all started with desperation. The desperation for drugs turned into a desperation to live. You are living a life you never thought was possible- thanks to the gift of desperation.
