Wow! Difficult read is an understatement! However, there is a haunting beauty in your words. Your spoken voice like a a cup of warming hot chocolate. Loved it H.
I can feel the pain in this. Deeply. I can feel the boys silent pain you so clearly heard, and the pain you clearly felt hearing it. This is brave and beautiful, my friend.
"AWAKE is the word, it’s the reality, it’s your rule."
I have family members in the midst of meth addiction and this is it, right here. This is what they need, for reasons they might not even know themselves. Fear of something, sometimes themselves. Fear of what will catch them if they nod off, emotionally, physically, mentally, for even a second.
You're doing incredible work - I'm sure you've helped more people than you can possibly imagine.
I really haven’t, My success rate of weaning ppl off methamphetamine is 0%. I have tried to refer so many to in-patient care in hospital etc. but the drug is too powerful, too addictive.
Though I attended way too many dances with Alcohol, I'm glad I didn't delve into some of the other party supplies I've been offered. I've watched addiction destroy the best people I've known since I was a child.
I'm sorry you have this experience, but am grateful that you can turn it into your art. I hope that you have a strong support system...even if online.
I used to spend a lot of time volunteering at Legal Aid. I considered it my way of paying it forward that I made it out. I've also gone on to adopt to pay forward having been adopted out of foster care. Both come with a similar frustration - being stuck watching people make preventable mistakes because they just don't fully know what they're doing. It's something they leave off of the Healer/Helper brochure.
The closest I've come to a dual life like that was when I had to live as a closeted gay man in the US Navy during the Don't Ask Don't Tell years (I was in during 9/11 and the first month of Iraq).
Though my addiction was alcohol (5 years sustained remission 💫), what I have come to learn is that all addictions are rooted in something deeper. Emotions we don’t want to feel, memories we don’t want to remember, and injustices done to us that we cannot let go of.
If we were a more compassionate society towards everyone regardless of personal identifiers and provided help for those roots causes of suffering, we would all be happier, healthier people.
Indeed a painful and sad picture you painted, Edward. It’s a beautiful service you are performing, however
Thank you, daddy croc 🐊🐊.
ridiculous..
What’s ridiculous about it?
write like you speak, or at least closer to how you speak
But then I’d be as basic as you? 🤷🏻♂️
with any luck, maybe..
venin, vitiation, mimetics?
c'mon..
Equally painful and powerful, Edward.
This happened five days ago, still processing the visceral and heartbreaking event 💔
Oh wow. That’s fresh. 💔
Spoken from the highest wavelength 📡
Y’all too good to me, JJ 🌪🖤
The "Fuck, I even pray" broke me. This is brilliant, in every sense of the word.
It was a surreal experience, it happened on Friday so I’m still processing it.
Oh. God. I feel sick, Edward. Heartbreaking. Devastating. I felt every word as if I was watching, too. A brave and brilliant read, my friend. 💔
Surprisingly I was able to watch the entire thing without feeling squeamish, I don’t know how.
It was shocking yet I just froze?
Wow! Difficult read is an understatement! However, there is a haunting beauty in your words. Your spoken voice like a a cup of warming hot chocolate. Loved it H.
Thank you! What a lovely compliment, Joseph 🖤🌪🥹
I can feel the pain in this. Deeply. I can feel the boys silent pain you so clearly heard, and the pain you clearly felt hearing it. This is brave and beautiful, my friend.
And the pain of sight, witnessing an addict use a syringe to shoot ice into his veins in broad daylight was confronting.
But this is reality.
"AWAKE is the word, it’s the reality, it’s your rule."
I have family members in the midst of meth addiction and this is it, right here. This is what they need, for reasons they might not even know themselves. Fear of something, sometimes themselves. Fear of what will catch them if they nod off, emotionally, physically, mentally, for even a second.
You're doing incredible work - I'm sure you've helped more people than you can possibly imagine.
I really haven’t, My success rate of weaning ppl off methamphetamine is 0%. I have tried to refer so many to in-patient care in hospital etc. but the drug is too powerful, too addictive.
It’s ripping the threads apart.
That’s so sad - I’d like to think they all carry something of your care and your hope with them, even if they aren’t able to save themselves.
Though I attended way too many dances with Alcohol, I'm glad I didn't delve into some of the other party supplies I've been offered. I've watched addiction destroy the best people I've known since I was a child.
I'm sorry you have this experience, but am grateful that you can turn it into your art. I hope that you have a strong support system...even if online.
I volunteered for outreach work, it’s something I’m passionate about.
I just get emotional when I see young ppl destroying their souls.
Thank you for the kind words, Neth.
I used to spend a lot of time volunteering at Legal Aid. I considered it my way of paying it forward that I made it out. I've also gone on to adopt to pay forward having been adopted out of foster care. Both come with a similar frustration - being stuck watching people make preventable mistakes because they just don't fully know what they're doing. It's something they leave off of the Healer/Helper brochure.
Well, look at you. A modern day social Batman 🥹🥹🙏🙏
Oh, to have those resources lol.
The closest I've come to a dual life like that was when I had to live as a closeted gay man in the US Navy during the Don't Ask Don't Tell years (I was in during 9/11 and the first month of Iraq).
Welcome, fellow gay ⭐️✨🙋🏻♂️🖤
Thanks for the warm inclusion :)
This was painfully beautiful 🖤 Addiction does not discriminate and neither should we.
Preach, Kali!
It was a harrowing yet grounding experience. Meth/gear/ice is basically slow burn highway to hell for victims.
Though my addiction was alcohol (5 years sustained remission 💫), what I have come to learn is that all addictions are rooted in something deeper. Emotions we don’t want to feel, memories we don’t want to remember, and injustices done to us that we cannot let go of.
If we were a more compassionate society towards everyone regardless of personal identifiers and provided help for those roots causes of suffering, we would all be happier, healthier people.
Absolutely. The person in the story was in trouble with police from the age of ten, and grew up in a questionable home environment.
I feel like he never had a chance.
Bravo. Wonderfully done.
Thank you so much, Marie!
TINA is such a problem everywhere! Great commentary, E!
It's rife, and it's killing our community.
I just wish to have the courage to talk about it like you do. Maybe I will.. I still don't know! Great piece as always tho
Talk about your own experience with it, or what you see in the community?
Just tina in general and the person I knew who used it.