I'm a Drug Addict. How Do I Clean Up My Act?

by Lindsey
(USA)

I have been addicted to drugs since I was sixteen, I'm twenty 22 now. It started with my mother and step dad - they are addicted and have been since I can remember.

I fell in love with an older man who was good to me, and loved me. But all I did was lie to him and steal money when I could. And now I have lost him. I really need to clean my act up, but how do I do that when my mother and step dad are users?

Answer

Hi Lindsey

You clean up your act by deciding to do so and then simply going out and doing it. Sure, having parents who are addicts makes it harder for you, but no one can force drugs down your throat. You have the power to change, irrespective of what your parents do.

So step number one would be to get professional help because trying to beat a drug addiction alone is especially hard to do. Find an Addictions Counselor in your local area, and ask them to help find you a drug addiction treatment program taking into account how much you can afford (many programs are free), whether you have insurance etc.

If getting into a treatment program right now is impossible, then get yourself to a local NA meeting. There you'll meet loads of people who've been exactly where you are and who by working the 12 steps have totally turned their lives around. Many people develop this fear about going to NA or AA based on what they've heard or seen on TV, and so think it's weird and not something they want to do. Trust me, it's nothing like that so check it out for yourself.

I know people who've overcome seriously bad addictions to highly addictive drugs like heroin, simply by going to NA regularly and working the 12 steps. Plus you'll probably find a lot of people your age there as well so there will be loads of people you can relate to.

Understand though that you're not going to turn things around by waiting for something to happen. There are people and programs out there who can help you, but you've got to make the effort to go to them. I know it seems scary at first, but once you've met with a counselor or been to an NA meeting for the first time, you realise it's not so bad and that there are loads of people just like you making an effort to turn their lives around, and are successfully doing so.

So the bottom line is this, you can use your parents as an excuse to keep using, or you can make the commitment to clean yourself up knowing that your parents have no power over your choices, unless you give it to them.

You can do this! Best of Luck.

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