8 Personal Stories of Heroin Addiction
One of the most stunning things about recovery is the similarities between your story of addiction and that of the next addict. Heroin addiction, especially, seems to provide its captives with a gut wrenching path from which few escape. Though the details—location, names, amounts, dates—change with each story, one thread remains the same: heroin addiction is deadly. The only hope is heroin rehab.
- Dead Heroin Addict’s Video Diaries to be Aired in Sky1 Documentary – This one is at The Guardian (United Kingdom) and it’s a bit exploitative, I think, and it’s a heartbreaker so be forewarned.
- Snellville Woman’s Tale of Heroin Addiction – Here, a woman from Snellville tells the story of a local woman struggling with heroin addiction on her blog, My Snellville Blog.
- Heroin Tightens Its Grip – From Creative Loafing Atlanta out of Atlanta, GA, this is a broader article that talks more about Sarah, the woman profiled at My Snellville Blog.
- I Kicked My Habit After Heroin Addiction Killed My Twin…Now I’m Going to Be a Dad – Exactly what it sounds like, this is a personal story of recovery out of the UK after loss due to heroin addiction.
- Heroin Took Life of Bright Teen From Mukilteo – A sad story, this one is about the loss of Everett, Washington teen, Sean Gahagan, to heroin abuse.
- Speaker Tells Students About Daughter’s Drug Related Death – Out of Greencastle, Indiana, a story of teenage death caused by drug abuse. Her father speaks out to help educate students in hopes of keeping them form the same fate.
- How HIV Changed Ex-Addict’s Life – A story of recovery in the Middle East, this one highlights what it was that helped one heroin addict take the leap and break his addiction to heroin for good.
- The Teenage Face of Heroin Abuse: Sean O’Conner, 19 – U.S. News and World Report tells the story of one teen who stopped in time.
Heroin Rehab Works
In the words of Sean O’Conner, heroin rehab can help treat heroin addiction:
When I was stealing from my aunt and uncle and stealing from my neighbors, I was in a really bad place. Anything lying around and worth money—I took it. The night I overdosed, I was at my friend’s birthday party, and I got really drunk because I was waiting to get heroin and it wasn’t there yet. When my neighbor got some, I got a ride from the party to his house. I don’t really remember this, but from what people told me, after I shot up, I started freaking out [having seizures], and my neighbor propped me up against a tree, went back inside, and just left me there. Thankfully, another neighbor saw me outside and called the cops. The next thing I remember is waking up in the ambulance after they gave me the Narcan shot. They told me I had been having seizures and that I almost choked on my tongue.
After I relapsed, my mom said, “Go and get better or you’re done, no more family.” My first few days here I said, “F— this place, I’m leaving. I would rather sit in county [jail] for six to eight months.” Then one night I realized all the positive things about this place. I can get my high school diploma. I can get my family back. By the time I’m out, my probation will be over, I’ll have a large amount of clean time, and I’ll have more tools and coping skills to use when I’m back out in the world.
I’ve only been here 14 days today, but I’ve realized this is the place where I have to be, and it helps. Seeing people actually be here for seven, eight months helps. If they can do it, I can do it too.
Tags: heroin addiction, heroin addiction treatment, heroin overdose, heroin rehab
i have not ever done herion, but my boyfriend who i love more than anything has been battling it for years. way before i ment him, he was clean when we met but relasped and its been a horrible sruggle for the pastcouple of months. Its hard to know whats true and whats not when hes talking to me. and it has caused many of my own mental issues. IM not sure how to handle it, is there anybody who could talk to me about this?
I’m sorry you’re going through this, Kaitlyn. A personal therapist is a good idea for you. Your focus should be on keeping yourself safe, no matter what. Don’t wait to find a professional therapist to talk to.
good luck girl ,, I feel you 100 on this
I know EXACTLY how you feel, I love my boyfriend so much… A year ago he lost his job and went from completely sober to a complete Heroin addict. He has been using for almost a year now. It started out as “Recreational” but turned into 5X a day or more. I thought by moving to a new area that would change things, but unfort it got worse. Im at my witts end now. His family knows. He acts like he wants to change but lies through his teeth. It makes me sick to my stomach. I feel like I have ENABLED him in so many ways. I WILL NOT GIVE HIM ANY MONEY ANYMORE> I keep asking myself what can I do to make him better? Alls I do now is pray. He says after XMAS he will go to rehab, but at this point I have NO IDEA. This is the hardest thing I have ever dealth with. Half the time he doesnt even sleep in the bed with me and is up all night long. I KNOW HE WILL NOT CHANGE FOR ME, but he has a little girl. People tell me all the time to leave him, but I just cant. I love him so much. Im getting to a point where now I dont know what else to do, He lies and has stolen money from me. I have been supporting him and I for the past year and my life has become so depressing… He goes weeks without himself. Its really sad, when he finally is back its so nice having him again, but it doesnt last long, its like living with 2 different people. I have tried everything from subboxan to his family knows. I dont know what else to do now??? Every time I try to talk to him he changes the subject. Does anyone have any advice for me? I just keep holding on to my faith that things will get better, but when he uses sometimes he becomes mean. Im always finding black marks and foil. I dont want him to die. I am so beyond scared for him. What else can I do now?
The only way he will get over his problem is alone,I know this from experience. I was addicted with my ex boyfriend for five years and we tried to quit together and we relapsed for a year. Now this time I quit alone and I’m a month clean. He needs to really really want this. Good luck.
where’d he go?
he was just here giggling on the floor as his daddy tickled him.
he was just here hiding in the laundry room sneaking more cookies while sitting tucked away behind the open dryer.
he was just riding his bike for the first time!
boy he loved the waves
he was so proud when he tackled everyone on the opposing team, even if they didn’t have the football. gave dad the thumbs up.
he was just out on his first date.
he was stunningly handsome dressed for prom
he was so drunk when he came home last night
why was he covered in blood tonight
why can’t i stop the pain he’s feeling in his body from the heroin detox
where’s he going now?
my son is tryin to get his life back
I am the daughter of a heroin addict. He passed due 2 his h.i.v. Status back in I believe it was 2002, im unsure of the dates because he was never really a part of my life. When I was younger he tried 2 come around from time 2 time, but he was either high or telling me stories about his niece & nephews birthday parties he had attended… He was NEVER at any of my birthdays or anything…. I resented this as a kid, who am I kidding I still do ): I am always researching addiction stories trying 2 understand why he was the way he was. I eventually ended up in a relationship with a heroin addict! I didnt know hed ever even done it until we had been 2gether 4 a year & had a baby on the way. I stayed with him 4 over 7 yrs & we ended up having 2 children 2gether… I think my children are lucky as he doesnt ever come around. Of course there is no child support but my children never go without & have pretty much everything they want. I worry EVERYDAY that they are going 2 somehow repeat the cycle tho… ):
You surely realize that you have managed to dodge the addiction bullet twice in your life. How often could that happen and why does your soul attract that element without you being part of it? I am glad you never did it cause I am strung out on it now and I am wonderin what its doin to my kids. I hope it disgusts them so they NEVER try it. They would be addicts from the jump probably, considering both parents are. Their mom isn’t around cause she chose to take off and really relish in her life “choices” So basically if it weren’t for my parents my family would be f…,d because my kids got swindled out of the opportunity to have descent parents hecause of our selfish decisions. It will be a wonder if they don’t hate me or even worse bring the shit I put my parents through back on me 2 fold. I have given up on understanding addiction because there is no logical reason for anyone to do what we do. I been down this road for over a decade and I HATE junkies but at the same time I am one. One confusing situation
I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for about a year now.. In all reality we spent about two months with one another physically because he’s been locked up. The drug was the thing that got him put in prison, he’s been a heroin addict for a while this is the way I met him this is the way I learned to love him, he opened up his heart to me and shared his life story with me. No one has ever done that. He’s an amazing person and we will make it out. I hope that one day he can really overcome this challenge he is facing. I do stress over it and it scares me but all we can really do is pray and hope they can get better. Heroin is a very powerful drug. It takes over people’s lives and destroys homes. Best wishes to all.. This is not easy..
My husaband is a heroin addict. He’s been for the past 7 years and now he put himself in a bad position.he lost his son and took him to his aunts to stay for a while only until he gets back up on his feet. Its a horrible drug and the things they do just to get it is just terrible. He’s going for treatment but it scares me that when he gets out it will start all over again. I wil help him get through this and plan to take a family drug abuse counseling. I love him dearly. I don’t want to see him die of an overdose or die period. I pray everyday for god to help him. He’s on the right track now but for how long?
Heroin is the devil in chemical form. It totally takes control of every aspect of your life. I am struggling with the decision to go back to rehab and maybe catch something that I obviously missed the last time. I feel like I am 2 totally different people in the same body. I hate that I have to get “high” to even feel “normal” I am so sick without it so I have done some really really messed up things to my family on this journey that somehow along the way I evidentally chose. Addiction is my curse and it feels like mental prison. I don’t want to do it but can’t do what I need to do through the day without it cause I am going to be hemmed up on the bed sweating and freezing at the same time. Nausia and diarreah next, then there is the guilt and feeling like the piece of shit I have become. Its hard for people to continue loving you when you take everything from them. I don’t know who looks back at me in the mirror but I don’t like him. I wonder is there anyone out there that is truly happy that used to get high and now doesn’t? These are not normal questions to ask but this is the mind of a junkie. My every thought revolves around heroin or in slim times, pills to run in my juggler cause all the other veins are done! I don’t even know why I am writing this. I think to give you a glimpse of what the person you love is dealing with regardless of what they are telling you. Manipulators and liars is what is left when the junk isn’t in the junkie anymore. The bloodlust of a vampire!!
you asked for an example of someone who was really deep in heroin addiction, and who isn’t anymore.
i’ve been only clean about two and a half months, and i’m extremely happy, not every waking second, but you know what.. that’s okay and it never used to be okay. i can relate to every single thing you said about heroin, i’ve so been there a lot of times. i’m not sure what was different this last time in rehab, i’ve been to nine. but i would just pray every morning and every night, i did yogo everyday, and i talked to people who didn’t want to use anymore instead of talking to the kids who were just there to get outta jail. and i’m not sure when it changed from me “trying to be happy” to be actually being happy. but it did. i’m scared this is going to wear off, but at the same time, if i stay grateful then i think i’ll be on the right path. just get the dope outta your system, the rest follows as long as you stay clean and really work at it. i didn’t say every day has been a rose garden, but my worst day clean is better than my best day high, and that’s no shit right there. hey… if you get clean, and stay clean for a year and nothing is better in your life, you can always go back to living how you’re living right now, so why not give it a shot….
ive been addicted to heroin then crack since 16 . Got in with wrong peeps n im from good family background so people that say ur abused or bad family r reading from txt books n dont know shit. I was in 2 very violent relationships ended up on the frontline in bradford then truthfully situations ive been in im lucky im writing this. My way of been able to support my addiction was prostitution n getting beatings if didnt raise enough money. Now im 43 just done 2 years in jail 4 supplying .Got 2 halfcast boys that are going down the wrong rd? But what can i say they sell not smoke 1 is constantly in n out of jail hes angry. i have done wot i had to by working the streets so they had the best.so after the jail sentance was a reality check now clean but cos of past n jealous people police keep cumin through my door .im just on 30ml meth sat writing this listenin 2 A.keys love me like this is gona be the last time