This community is suffering from an invisible illness: A large percentage of our kids and family members are addicted to drugs; most prominently opiates such as Oxycontin, Norco, Vicodin and other “prescribed” medications as well as heroin which is typically smoked, but more and more we’re seeing cases of IV use. We have meth and ecstasy and other issues too, but the opiates are taking over fast. The attraction our youth (and many adults) have to them is more than just the euphoric feeling they provide. Once they are accustomed to the high, they can usually work, go to school and do other “functioning” type behaviors that allow them to convince themselves they don’t have a problem until it is way too late. I always say, “By the time you figure out you’re an addict… you’ve been one for a long time.”
It isn’t as though the working addict or student addict is actually succeeding in spite of their drug use. Obviously, their performance begins to deteriorate and soon life becomes dreadful and they are entrenched deeply in addiction. This is why there’s no such thing as a functioning addict. I hate that term! I was an addict for over a decade and I worked, had relationships, my own apartment and all of this only prolonged my addiction. The only thing that was fully functioning in my life was my addiction. There’s no such thing as a functioning addict, only an addict with a job or one who’s getting an education, etc.
I hope we’re getting smarter and realizing that our addicts are not these scummy, derelict looking, delinquent types we conjure up in our heads. We live in a good community and my clients are good kids who go to college, get good grades (before), have good jobs or own their own businesses. Addicts can be suffering right under your nose and you might not know it. It is so easy to get yourself lost in addiction; good kids, smart kids, successful and ambitious kids and adults; no one is immune to this debilitating disorder. But there is a scientific method and understanding of this disorder and how to treat it. Don’t postpone getting answers and getting back on track. Remember to choose a professional who is exclusively qualified to deal with addictions and has been through recovery themselves.
Scott Spackey is a California Registered Addiction Specialist, Interventionist, Life-Coach Hypnotherapist and Bio-Feedback Technician. For more information, please call 661-299-1966, email Scott@Life-Mind.com or visit www.Life-Mind.com.