A Deadly Addiction

If thought about, it is agreeable that we, as human beings, make connections with a variety of people and objects. Some people we have not met, yet we have made a connection with them solely on the basis of seeing them on TV or hearing them on the radio. Any one person’s death is a tragedy to another, especially if they are a family member, but even if they are a celebrity. The cause of death can be vast, but one thing is clear: death steals.

Recently it was reported that Amy Winehouse, a famous singer and songwriter, died early this week. The autopsy was inconclusive as to the direct cause of death, but Winehouse openly admitted in interviews that she battled drug use. Whether or not Ms. Winehouse died from drugs is not the issue-although quite controversial, it is the importance of  knowing and understanding the effects of drug addiction that we look at Winehouse’s life choices.

There are various thoughts about drug addiction in general and the majority of views point to it being a negative thing. Drug addiction or even alcoholism tears family apart, destroys trust and health, and leaves people desolate. According to treatment-centers.net people who become dependent on substances can be held by its grasp either mentally or physically, both showing outward signs. A lot of people believe that drug addiction and alcohol dependence is easily fixable, especially if you have lots of money, by going to treatment centers and making the decision to change. However, it is more complex than that because it is a disease that is dealt with by taking a step-by-step process each and every minute of every day.

Those who even have the strongest will power or a lot of money may not be able to overcome their addictions easily. If you have a friend who is dependent on drugs or alcohol, let them know that they are not alone in dealing with it. There are people who understand and can truly help them before it is too late. Don’t let addiction, to anything, take away their life from you and the ones who love them. Talk to them today about getting help.

Supreme Stupidity

We have all done it: the prank call. Many a middle school student has inquired of a random phone number whether or not his refrigerator was running just to tell him to go catch it. This type of prank should eventually die out with the invention of caller identification and other methods to track down telephone pranksters. Those that still attempt this time-honored tradition know that even during the most ridiculous of prank calls, there is a line that one just does not cross.

One young man in New York state crossed that line big time. According to a news report, he used a radio to call the local Sheriff’s Department and report an auto accident, claiming that a person was trapped. After authorities figured out that there was no accident, they tracked down the foolish 18-year-old and arrested him. His excuse for his horrible behavior? He had been smoking weed and was “not thinking clearly.”

The lesson to learn here, and the main point of this blog entry is this: drug use will cause you to do supremely stupid things. Far more dangerous than the effects of the drugs themselves are the insanely idiotic decisions one will make while high. One looses the ability to make good decisions and many times cannot control himself. This story is just another example of the endless accounts of drugs causing supreme stupidity. At least this story did not end with someone loosing his life; the next story you hear, maybe even your own story, may end that way.

Drying Cement

This week 80′s teen “heart-throb” Cory Haim died. Haim had dealt with drug abuse for years, and this drug use is suspected (although not yet confirmed) in his death. While there are many things one could learn by looking at the life of this troubled celebrity, one thing stands out to this blogger: a lifelong pattern of drug problems which originated in his teenage years.

He passed away at 38 years of age and has been battling drug problems since he was a teen. He has been in rehab, had relapses, and had depression issues. His close friend Cory Feldman called him a “tormented soul.”

Using drugs as a teenager is far more dangerous than one may think. If you even survive while abusing drugs, you are beginning a lifelong battle for control of yourself. You may think you can quit tomorrow “if you really wanted to,” but understand that by using drugs as a teen you are establishing a pattern that doesn’t just go away. Here is a saying to remember: “What you will become, you are now becoming. ” You don’t change as a person just because your circumstances change. You may think that you will straighten out when you get to college. Maybe you think you will clean up after you get your career underway, or when you get married, or when you become a parent. It doesn’t work that way.

Unfortunately, the reality is that life is like drying cement. When someone walks across wet cement they leave footprints. If the cement is immediately smoothed out it can be fixed, but if left to dry those footprints will become permanent.  This is also true of life. The more that time progresses the more permanent things become. The longer you have a lifestyle of drug use, the more permanent that lifestyle will become. Don’t let your cement dry with the footprints of drugs. If you do, you will struggle for the rest of your life.

Teen Drug Use On The Rise

As a youth prevention specialist, this blogger did not like reading the following statement in an article from JoinTogether.org: “A new report finds that more kids say they are using alcohol and other drugs.” This is the news coming from a study done by Partnership for a Drug Free America. Alcohol and marijuana use has risen, but even more shocking is the increased use of ecstasy, which is up by 67%!!!

The cause seems to be the tough times that have befallen America. Families are struggling to make it in this difficult economy. There is a tremendous amount of stress with which to deal and teens are looking for an escape. Unfortunately, they don’t realize that this temporary fix can have permanent consequences.

If you are a teen and you are having a rough time right now, getting high is not the answer. There are tons of other ways to have some fun and get your mind off of your troubles. Shoot some hoops, play some video games, listen to your favorite music, or hang out with your friends (who aren’t drinking or doing drugs). There are countless things you can do that do not involve drinking, drugs, or money. If you are a parent of a teen, make sure to devote some extra time and care to you son or daughter, and keep a close watch on their behavior. Teens feel family stress too and will greatly benefit from some quality time with the family. Despite all that a family may be lacking because of hardship, they still have each other.