ADDICTION

Growing up I saw a lot of relatives in my family become addicted to drugs. I've witnessed family members steal from other family members because of addiction. Sometimes those same items that were stolen were sold to other family members because of addiction. I've experienced rent not being paid and having to move out of the apartment because of addiction. I've experienced not having groceries in the home because of addiction. I've experienced having to chain my bike up to a bed post because of addiction. Still, that metal chain was sawed off, bike stolen, and sold because of addiction. I've witnessed the smell of addiction, not a pleasant smell at all. I've witnessed checks stolen, signature forged, and check cashed because of addiction. I've witnessed having to carry my first leather jacket down the street in a black plastic bag to my grandmother's house so that it wouldn't be stolen if left home because of addiction. I've experienced playing my Nintendo (boy how I loved that game) when it first came out, up all night with an addict. Loving every moment. Then years later, I experienced that same Nintendo and the games stolen and sold by that same addict because of addiction. I've witnessed addicts selling their foodstamps, not some but all, because of addiction. I've wittnessed someone burn down their home because of addiciton. I've witnessed people going into rehab, being clean for a while, and going right back, because of addiction. I've witnessed being embarrassed of a parent and not wanting to acknowledge him or her because of addiction.
These are just some of the things that I remember about addiction. Addiction affects everyone that is involved-the addict, family, and friends. Whether it be alcohol, crack, heroin, marijuana or whatever the drug of choice maybe addiction is addiction. Having experienced a parent and other relatives being addicts,I couldn't see myself subcumbing to addiction. I know how detrimental addiction is to one's personal health, personal life, and family life not to ever want to re-live that. I was fortunate. Some people pick up the same cycle because that's all they know. I was lucky enough to have one parent and other family members that were head strong and showed me a different way.
See, I don't know what the singer, songwriter Amy Winehouse went through in her childhood or adulthood but it overwhelmed her and allowed addiction to take over. I am so happy that through all those experiences, Still I Rise, from addiction.