Drugs ruin people lives. Anyone care to argue with that?
Every once in a while you meet a person who you think has it all. A few years back I met a colleague at a convention and he seemed to have it all.
John is a licensed psychologist with an extremely successful practice. He has a lovely wife and four beautiful children. He is active in his church and his community. He coaches his son’s soccer team. He is a Cub Scout leader.
John is an addict.
That is the big secret nobody ever knew about. He always seemed to be in control. In high school and college he drank and used marijuana. But that was all recreational. His drinking and drug use progressed to cocaine and prescription medication.
Under the mind-altering effects of drugs and alcohol John continued to make very poor decisions. Messed up more often, he spent more time away from his family, often using work as an excuse to beg off his commitments. That should have been the warning sign.
They say you have to hit rock bottom before you can rebound. I hope John has hit rock bottom. It cannot get too much worse for him. You see John was smoking crack with a prostitute when he had a massive heart attack. Imagine the shock of friends and family to learn that this man, who they thought was the salt of the Earth, a pillar of society, was a crack using, whore mongerer!
John is still bed-ridden and attempting to recover. Time will tell if he overcomes his addictions. I sat with him last night and he cried, telling me he can’t believe he lost almost everything. He may someday get his wife back, the trust of his kids, perhaps even practice again. But an hour does not go by where he does not wish he could light up. Do you think a MIP class could have helped him?