The Drawbacks of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction was a very prevalent topic in A Stone of Hope by Jim St. Germain. He was born in Haiti and moved to Brooklyn’s Crown Heights at a very young age. He lived in what most people would call the “hood.” He quickly began to adapt to living in the streets and began stealing, selling drugs, and becoming indifferent to violence. Soon enough, his bad habit of dealing drugs caught up to him and he was arrested for dealing crack cocaine. Instead of being placed in prison, he was placed in something called "Boys Town," which is a non-secure detention facility designed for rehabilitation. Ever since then, his life has been heading up and he has straightened out his life because of it.

A medication habit (also known as drug addiction) is a reliance on an illicit medication or illegal drug. Whenever dependent, the individual will be unable to control their use of drugs and they may keep using said drug no matter how detrimental it may be. Drug addiction can cause an exceptional craving for the drug itself. In 2012, an estimation of about 23.9 million Americans at the age of 12 and up had utilized an illegal medication or mishandled psychotherapeutic medicine. The addiction to drugs is a major issue that can influence the individual's body and psyche, there are numerous elements that prompt dependence, and basic medicines to help enable an addict to recoup and avoid backsliding.

Abusing drugs can destroy your life before you know it. It typically begins with what is believed to be harmless experimentation or done similarly for recreational use, and yet it can end up pulverizing your life and can become quite perilous. Despite the fact that numerous individuals feel that they won’t become dependent on drugs or that they won't cause any real harm after just a couple of times of use, they are still extremely destructive. Unfortunately this can happen to even the best of us and I have seen that happen myself.

One of my closest friends, Jessica, was addicted marijuana. I am all for the use of marijuana as long as it is used legally and done responsibly in a safe environment. Sadly, my dear friend Jessica did neither of those things. She grew up in an unstable family and turned to drugs like weed to cope. It started off as something she did every blue moon, but it quickly turned into something she did daily. I tried to help her through it and ween her off of drugs, but she only pushed me away. It eventually got to the point where she cut me off completely and she started hanging out with the wrong crowds. She always drove high, which was something I hated and strongly advised her not to do; she ignored me of course. One day, she was driving — high out of her mind of course — and got into a fatal car accident. Nobody was killed thankfully; it was only a few serious injuries. Jessica broke her arm and stayed in the hospital for a few days. From that day on, she decided to get her life together and quit her drug abuse. Jessica went to rehab soon after and her life has gotten so much better ever since. She is happy and healthy, and our friendship is better than ever.

Drug addiction is something we all know about and are all very familiar with it. You have heard about it in horror stories, in books (such as the one we read), movies, magazines, etc. Drugs can, and will, ruin your life as well as the lives of others once you become addicted. The worst thing is, though, is to see a loved one struggle with drug addiction. It’s heart breaking and humbling, but it can bring you closer together.