11 year heroin and crack addict. Clean 16 yeasr

[CrimeJunkie01]

AMA

Wow that's amazing OP, congratulations for finding the inner strength to combat such a crippling addiction. I don't really have a question, but I salute you!

With your professional expertise (attachment theory? Child development?) can you see the effects on him?

Amazing to hear of your recovery OP.

Well done op. I lost my brother to that many years ago - lost him in the sense that he is still alive but after years of being dragged into a terrible, terrible world I had to walk away. We have no relationship now, and never will have.

However, I hope his story is your story, it would make me vey happy. Goodluck with your life op.

@CanIPleaseHaveOne

Well done op. I lost my brother to that many years ago - lost him in the sense that he is still alive but after years of being dragged into a terrible, terrible world I had to walk away. We have no relationship now, and never will have.

However, I hope his story is your story, it would make me vey happy. Goodluck with your life op.

I'm so sorry to hear that. My partner after my abusive ex was like that to me. Unfortunately, he died of a heroin overdose 5 years ago and it was truly awful. I loved him but couldn't be near him as he was still using and I was scared to go back to that life. I truly hope your brother finds peace in himself soon. I know from both sides how hopeless it is for addict and family.

@Monestera

With your professional expertise (attachment theory? Child development?) can you see the effects on him?

Amazing to hear of your recovery OP.

To be fair, the kid (he's nearly 21 now) is the most well rounded person I know. He is a pleasure to be around. I have no idea how he turned out so good!!!

@Purplewishes @PurpleAki thank you, although it always feels weird to be congratulated about sorting my life out. Most people just don't mess up to the extent I did.

Congratulations on staying clean for so long.
Do you feel regret/shame, or is it just a part of your life that you feel you've moved on from?

Was your partner making a lot of money/profit?

Do addicts not eat? Were you unhealthy ie. were you susseptible to colds etc?

Do you have any physical side effects from your drug use? It must have done a lot of damage over the years?

Do people in real life know you are an ex addict and do they judge you for it? Do you have a good relationship with your parents?

How did you make enough money. If spending hundreds every day.
Where did you live, were you homeless?

Do you have any long term health consequences due to your period as a heroin/crack user? What sort of state are your veins in?

I'm a paramedic and have come across a few ex heroin users a decade or more clean and they have been a nightmare to cannulate ending up needing the anesthesists to put central lines in.

OP, I'm going to ask a question that I struggle with. I have a child through adoption, whose biological mother was/is a heroin addict. She took methadone through her pregnancy and relapsed onto heroin too.

My question is this: No matter how well I parent my beautiful child I am terrified that they will follow down the same road as their biological mother as if it's in their genes. I will never take for granted that we are a "nice" family; I know drugs can take children from any background.

Do you feel that your son was more at risk of that life? Any words of advice for all of us parents?

@TartanJumper

Congratulations on staying clean for so long. Do you feel regret/shame, or is it just a part of your life that you feel you've moved on from?

After years of guilt, it is now something I've moved on from. I now focus on helping others to make up for the past. A lot of ex addicts do this.

@TwitchingHour

OP, I'm going to ask a question that I struggle with. I have a child through adoption, whose biological mother was/is a heroin addict. She took methadone through her pregnancy and relapsed onto heroin too.

My question is this: No matter how well I parent my beautiful child I am terrified that they will follow down the same road as their biological mother as if it's in their genes. I will never take for granted that we are a "nice" family; I know drugs can take children from any background.

Do you feel that your son was more at risk of that life? Any words of advice for all of us parents?

I foster and care for babies going through withdrawal, this is something that troubles me too.

@SardineJam

Was your partner making a lot of money/profit?

For one very short period of time up to £10k a day but normally a few k

@SardineJam

Was your partner making a lot of money/profit?

Sometime, other times not. That's the thing about it I suppose, we had huge habits ourselves so it wasn't all profit, some days it just kept out habits, other days we would be rich. Money comes and goes when you are an addict

@SardineJam

Do addicts not eat? Were you unhealthy ie. were you susseptible to colds etc?

Yes, but scoring drugs and using them is a) a full time job that leaves little time for eating, b) if you are hungry using drugs takes away the hunger, especially crack.

@EgonSpengler2020

Do you have any long term health consequences due to your period as a heroin/crack user? What sort of state are your veins in?

I'm a paramedic and have come across a few ex heroin users a decade or more clean and they have been a nightmare to cannulate ending up needing the anesthesists to put central lines in.

My veins are terrible, I groin injected for about 5 years and I have huge track marks both sides of my groin. My right arm is slightly better than anywhere in my body as I am right handed and injecting into my right arm was difficult to do. I still managed it, but badly. I have one decent one in my right hand that comes up if I have hot water on it and inevitably I use that. My legs bruise really easily and take ages to heal due to poor circulation. If I'm honest I worry I might lose my legs one day.

I was lucky to not catch any blood borne viruses especially as my partner had Hep C.

None of my parents are addicts and none of my siblings. I genuinely think that there can be a bit of an addictive personality but that home life is much more important in shaping people. Honestly, I've never really thought about my son becoming an addict, which, now I think about it is weird given that both his parents were addicts.

Do you have any relationship with your parents? Did they try to support you during your addiction or did they disown you?

@TwitchingHour @bloodywhitecat I think you are amazing people and thank you for what you have/are doing.

@LoopyGremlin

Do you have any relationship with your parents? Did they try to support you during your addiction or did they disown you?

When I was using my parents first locked me in the house to detox me, then when that didn't work they wouldn't let me in their houses in case I stole off them (I never did). I think they were at a loss to be honest. They were not equipped to deal with me (who would be), it was so out of their experience. In the end I avoided seeing them as it upset them and me so much. When I went to prison my Dad wrote me a heart felt letter, but I just read it as me not being good enough.

I now have a fantastic relationship with them both.

Would you consider going and talking to teens in your local secondary schools about your experience?
An ex heroin addict came and spoke to my class when I was in year 8. We were allowed to ask her pretty much anything and it was so eye opening for me.
I’ve never forgotten her and I’ve never forgotten her story and I’ve subsequently never touched drugs.

You sound amazing! Well done 👏