Public sentiment reveals a complex tapestry of emotions surrounding drug addiction, with a prominent display of empathy for affected families juxtaposed against personal stories of both recovery and tragedy. Commenters often share their own experiences with addiction, highlighting the societal and familial impact of substance abuse while advocating for increased support and understanding. There's a clear divide in sentiment, with some emphasizing personal responsibility over compassion, while most echo a need for systemic change and community support.

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Not me personally, but a really close friend of mine’s older brother has a drug addiction.  He goes to bad parts of town to get his fix, and uses all his money.  He spend his college tuition for drugs.  It effects the family a lot along with everyone the family effects, like her with me.  

She worries about him al lot and so does their family.  Each person he effects spreads to more.  She effects me with her feelings on this and now I’m effecting you with her story

Ianite209

My father was an alcoholic for many years. He was living with his parents when he got married to my mom and when they had me. But as soon as his father died we moved to another city and his addiction only got worst. My mom suffered from a lot of physical and mental abuse which I witnessed and which caused me traumas that I still deal with till this day. And I believe (even though we never really talked abt it) that my little sibling also struggles with some. It's been a couple of years now that he stopped drinking, he still smokes some kind of drugs but at least it's not as bad. All what happened has made me hate him so much and fall into depression, my mom still suffers too from all what she went through, and I seriously wish I could help her. He still abuses her mentally from time to time, and we both are just waiting for the day I graduate university and finally get a job to be able to move out, away from him. Whoever reads this, please stay away from drugs, and if you can't, at least don't have children or a family, no one deserves to live in such a toxic environment, even yourself.

emyl7y

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Considering how i fucking hate my biological mother to the point of me hoping her lupis would get her already, i would say quite a bit.

BaldoB

I'm the youngest child in a family with 2 girls and a boy (myself). My middle sister (MS) has always hated my oldest sister (OS) to the point where when OS got married, MS got pregnant out of spite. The child has been born and rather than kicking her coke habit and being a responsible mother, MS has purposefully alienated the whole family by contining taking drugs, stealing, assaulting family members both physically and verbally. My parents have taken custody of the kid and OS helps them take care of him front time to time (he's great practice for her when she eventually has a kid and he love him to bits). Anytime MS comes home my mother tries to get her to take a drugs test but she always refuses. She has destroyed my parents happiness but they preserve for the sake of their grandchild. They are honestly the best people I know and I couldn't be more grateful to have them as parents.

Arturiim

[deleted]

Thank you for sharing. I’m so sorry. My father is currently dying from his alcohol addiction, he is refusing life saving medical care after a traumatic accident so he can stay home to drink. Whatever you are feeling, which is likely a complete whirlwind, is valid. Wising you the best

lotusrse

My dad passed away when I was in high school, alone in his house surrounded by empty liquor bottles. His alcoholism plus undiagnosed mental health issues made our household hell until my mom finally divorced him and got us away. 

It definitely frustrates me that he basically slowly killed himself by refusing to get help and by doing that missed out on so much. He'll never see his kids get married, never see us graduate college, never meet his grandkids, etc. 

I don't know how well I've coped with it. My sister had a lot more apparent issues from everything but a combination of therapy and medication has really helped her. I'm still trying to find the right therapist, or maybe I'm just delaying talking about it.

RapGamePterodactyl

Kind of about how past things are causing my current problems. But sometimes prompts help, like listening to emotional music while listing things I'm grateful and ungrateful for. sorry to go on but maybe you'd get the same relief from something else. what do you find helpful?

Plentyofbitch

oh definitely. journaling has been a godsend for insight into myself and problems. that and just online research into my issues has given me self awareness to spot my patterns and stop me from doing some self damaging shit

boopedya

I went to Alanon meetings too and they weren't for me. I recommended reading some books on Adult Children of Alcoholics. That provided me with some relief and insight.

My mom technically died from pancreatic cancer but she drank and smoke heavily my whole life. She died when I was 20. It is very hard losing a parent. I feel like she might have had a shot beating it herself. I think detoxing from the alcohol is what killed her.

yeah, my dad died last year in September from alcoholism. he was alone and wasn't found until a few days later too, like in your situation. I remember that year I had gone basically no-contact because he had sunk into a really nasty phase of angry-drunk. but still, finding out was like the biggest sucker punch to my gut. I just remember immediately turning around and running from the people I was near, because I couldn't hold back tears and I felt like I couldn't breathe. even months later I would cry thinking about how he died and how he lived his last ten years of life. I always felt so much pity and grief for him. you're not alone, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an extremely isolating experience for me, especially because no one in my life had lost a parent or even had alcoholic parents. but this community is great for that, and the best part is Reddit never sleeps! lol there will always be someone here to listen :)

bearthedog3

My father didn’t die directly from his addictions but years of alcoholism and drug abuse took a heavy toll on his body. He was in a car wreck that any normal person should have recovered from but his body was unable to recover and deteriorated. He slipped into a coma and died after I think a week or so.

Nonbelieverjenn

My ma died suddenly while detoxing from a binge at 63, I was 27 (2018). I’ve been in alanon for 7+ years but what really helped was getting into ACA. Reallllly specific and healing and gentle. What also has helped: EMDR, addiction death groups, The Dinner Party (grief group for 20-30yos, including affinity tables, like addiction). Im so sorry to hear about your loss. The pain is gruesome and seemingly unending. There is no timeline for this, it is supremely devastating.

haroldharry

My dad died two weeks ago due to alcoholism. He drank my entire life. He got a bacterial infection and couldn’t stop drinking long enough to let the antibiotics work.

Zoodley

My mother died a little over a year ago from withdrawal from alcohol. She’d been in a cycle of binging then going through withdrawal when she ran out of money and it causing her seizures. Then one time it killed her. I found her. Your story is so similar to mine. I haven’t been to any meetings. I understand your anger and sadness.

abae17

my dad overdosed on heroin when I was 24, which was a long time coming. I get reliability from the cptsd subreddit and journal a lot

My mother passed away from cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism almost 2 years ago. It was the hardest thing seeing her deteriorate before my eyes. We were in the process of trying to get a liver transplant. I was going to give her part of mine. My mother was a wonderful person. The love of my life. She was sick. She had a lot of damage that caused her to internalize her pain, to drink. She was a wonderful person and I miss her everyday.

CMO1313

And one more thing (sorry, I can't figure out how to do line breaks in chat lol) — the things you said about feeling so much anger and sadness really resonated with me. And the feeling that it hurts a lot to revisit it, so maybe it's just better to let sleeping dogs lie. But I can promise you that it is worth it to do that healing work. For me, I started to realize how much my experiences were shaping so many parts of my life (I was pessimistic, resentful, very critical of myself, people-pleasing, could not accept help/care from friends), and it was making everything miserable and difficult. I felt trapped in my own life. The ways I knew how to be in the world were not working for me, so I figured I needed to give up and learn how to do something different. There is a different, happier, more joyful way to live, and you CAN have it. Sometimes it feels impossible to imagine that it's possible to exist in the world in a different way ("Me? Stop being so cynical/angry/pessimistic? Impossible!") but it is possible. It is hard work to revisit this stuff and sometimes it does hurt, but it's not as hard and painful carrying around many years of old emotional wounds. I believe in you. You deserve to reap the rewards of the work of healing.

omega_nebula

Mom died when I was 28 from alcoholism. She was 56.

WhatTheActualFork1

Oh yeah. My dad died in a relapse. There was no definitive proof, but the receipts in his wallet combined with bad news in his mail made it pretty clear. You're not alone here. This isn't a fun club, but it's a comforting one. You can heal.

lassofthelake

Yes - you are not alone. My dad died 8 years ago (a couple weeks before my birthday, too). I was a teenager. For many years I was aware of ACA meetings but had an "Ugh, I don't need that" attitude about groups like ACA. When I finally went to a meeting I got teary seeing how many other people there were trying to heal from an upbringing that involved a lot of sadness. I didn't realize how alone I felt until I started feeling less alone.

Im so sorry friend. Peace and love to you during this time ♥️

little_BonBon

I am not a fan of this time of year. My aunt overdosed in Nov 2009. Drinking finally lead to my father’s death in Oct 2010. Much love and light to all of you

BeeHive83

when I was 19 (2011) my mom overdosed (suicide). about a month later my step mom overdosed and died. a month after that my dad overdosed and died. addiction runs rampant in my family. its heartbreaking. I miss them.

ladybug812

The great things about meetings is that you're never obligated to share. I get so much benefit from hearing others' stories and their perspective.

I really relate to the feelings you have about your in laws. I hope they welcome you and can show you how to be the best you can be with your new family--the one you've started with your partner, and the hard lessons you've learned from your own parents.

standard_candles

It’s rubbish. I’m sorry you also have to do this. X

PenguinFeet26

Thank you so much and I'm so sorry for your hurt as well.

My mom drank herself to death... she died while literally reaching for her next drink. 

This happened 9 years after I’d broken contact and removed her from my life. It still hurt tremendously...

I was wracked with sorrow over her squandered life and the pain she must have been trying to extinguish. Years of therapy helped me. Forgiving her helped me. Time helped me. 

I wish you well on this journey.

TEST3D

Thank you. I'm crying reading through these posts bc I understand so much. It's nice to know I'm not alone, but also ugh, it brings up the memories I don't want to remember

I don’t have any great insight, but I understand your feelings and I’m glad you’re here.

RMW91-

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People talk big until it’s their own kid, sibling, or friend. Empathy should not require personal tragedy to exist.

BabeInDisguise20

taking one ecstasy pill is much less dangerous than horseriding in terms of dropping dead to give you an idea. drugs *are* bad but it's honestly a really nuanced thing. the first thing you realise when you start taking drugs is that it's much more common than you think and that alcohol is absolutely a drug, not just on a technicality like coffee but it's actually functionally the same too. if you've had a drink and gotten buzzed you've had a high and a come down too. i would just say that if you don't understand addiction or why someone would do it just count yourself lucky and don't speak on it for other people

I learned about the concept of ‘Harm Reduction’ when FL voted against legalizing drug test kits that include testing for fentanyl.

Harm Reduction, for any who don’t know, is set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.

GwenSpacee

All of us can become addicted, and it happens fast. I don’t blame anyone for trying to find some comfort in this terribly cold world. We need more empathy for one another.

punk_lover

I was married to a man who had a cocaine addiction so when it was just alcohol and cannabis, I was like, phew okay. Then cane 10 years of meth. He got over that and back to alcohol and cannabis. He refused to ever get professional help. After over 39 years and I was finally able to see the damage he was doing to our daughters I said professional inpatient help right now or I am divorcing you. He chose not to get help, we divorced and he died 26 months later.

It’s a literal nightmare to live with someone like this. I get why people don’t have empathy because they don’t understand that experience; also there is a certain point when you’ve just had enough that your own empathy starts to run out. That was another reason why I left. I didn’t want to be that person.

Substantial-Spare501

As somebody who has been abused for being a drug addict and then disbelieved about the abuse I wholeheartedly agree. The stigma makes it very easy for abusers to pin the blame on the addict and makes it easier to discard you.

ChanceInternal2

In that context, it's pretty gross to say anything that's but supportive. Fentanyl is a horrible drug and makes recreational drug use much much more dangerous than it used to be.  Addicts or not.

Unlaid_6

marsmars124

As a drug addict I concur, we are one of the most disregarded and subjugated societies of most. People really could care less what happens to us. If we die its our fault anyways, as you know we did this to ourselves. Then you actual try to get better physically, emotionally and spiritually and for some people its still not enough. The police rarely investigate crimes involving the death of a long term addict, they just surmise it was addiction that killed them. Instead of the unscrupulous supply in the US. As both a heroin addict and fentanyl user I believe we were much better off with heroin. Not as many people died, it wasn't as near the withdrawals of fentanyl and you generally knew what you were getting. Then you go to get clean, and while there are a large variety of street drugs there are only two realistic options for opiate users. Methadone and suboxone, both of which in my opinion do more damage long term than heroin. Let's be real here no one really wants vivitrol and risk getting injured and the opiates the may give you not working. It's just a system set up for failure.

Individual_Risk8981

The people saying that probably talk to lots of drug addicts daily that are their friends their coworkers their relatives that have hidden it really well or they are an addict themselves whether it’s pills food, sugar, video games, shopping, masturbation porn, whatever just ignore these ignoramuses

Busy-Preparation-

dont expect that from all of "humanity". you cant. specially if they never lived that life &amp; are too SHELTERED. ppl have to realize this before posting up stuff like that or even talking abt it. bc sadly it seems like the majority just dont have empathy. yet they wanna preach abt it when something happens to THEM or an issue touches THEM. thats the reality of it. I think we're all addicts in some way. just depends what it is. i can understand why a lot of ppl use drugs and get addicted...the pain of reality is too much. and if there's hardly anybody they can talk to...thats one reason to do that. I hope the mom &amp; daughter find that peace &amp; joy they been looking for. ✅🌈

PrincesssTopaz

You know, in all my years I've never once seen someone get addicted to drugs because they were happy people who have no problems. Drugs aren't causing the problems, they've been there the whole time latent under the surface.

What's worse, those underlying issues that caused the need for an addiction in the first place? Confronting those and finding a way to deal with them is something that nobody wants to do. It's unbelievably painful and takes a long long time.

KilvasatLife

You are so right.

Because of Fentanyl, there's no room for mistakes if a kid wants to party and gets a bad batch.

Sit in the recovery rooms and the first thing we learn are that so many of us are born feeling like misfits and the first time we felt comfortable was that first drink or drug.

No one begins life wanting to become a low bottom addict or alcoholic

And lots got started with medically prescribed opiates.

Economy_Algae_418

When you're young, you probably just want to experiment especially if all your friends are doing it. I did it. A lot of others did it too. Doing a party drug one time won't always lead to an addiction and it sucks to die on your first time trying it because of dealers cutting corners with fentanyl. People have more sympathy when a teen drinks and dies in a car accident on their first try of drinking. Why is it so much different when they try something like molly? Parents can't watch their kid's every move either so the mom shouldn't be blamed. I had a high GPA and followed all the rules. My parents never knew when I bought drugs. It was very easy to hide.

EfficiencyNo6377

As someone battling cocaine addiction, I’m very sorry what you had to endure regarding your father and other family members. It says a lot about you that you still have so much empathy and you haven’t let your personal circumstances turn you bitter. I am putting my mum through a really rough time and my behaviour is maddening even to me. This addiction has changed me. I cannot explain. 

Thank you for showing us kindness. It means a lot.

I dont wish death or harm to people with addictions. I have a gambling addiction, every single day I could be triggered even though I havent gambled in years (still paying on a maxed out credit card)

But i dont have *sympathy* for them. I was abused my entire childhood and adolescence by family. I didnt know it was abuse until I moved away.

They took almost everything I ever owned that was tradable or pawnable. My first car was pawned and repoed. My car I have now was literally stolen and I should have called the police, even though they brought it back. My bank card stolen, thousands stolen from my bank account. My medication. My electronics. My jewelry. Even my beanie baby collection because the pawn shop gave some money for the collection as a whole.

Never filed charges against anybody because I was so manipulated, gaslit, guilt tripped. "It will be your fault if I go to prison, you dont truly love me if you would call the police. Family doesnt call police on family. I bought this for you so I can take it back if I want it."

I cant have sympathy anymore.

Desirai

I’m not sure if I’d use the word “empathy” here, maybe “sympathy”. I cannot empathize with being that particular brand of self-destructive. I can only speak for myself, but I can’t afford to care about what others are doing—including them making actions that lead to their deaths. I acknowledge that friends, family members and others are devastated by these kinds of things, but they’re also consequences of being human beings. I’m currently watching my best friend of 26 years spiral amid his alcohol addiction. All I can do is be there, suspend judgement, and not give him more alcohol. I neither castigate these people, nor do I doll out cheap, perfunctory sympathy. We’re all on our own individual journeys. And we all need to be in charge of ourselves and our own choices.

Slow-Carob2417

Sorry but as someone who was raised by addicts I’ve got zero sympathy for them. It’s not like some evil entity was forcing drugs into my mother’s bloodstream when she was literally carrying a baby. Nah she chose it and she chose to destroy the lives of everyone around her. If you make a conscious choice to engage in something unpleasant, dangerous and addictive that also ruins your life it’s your fault. Fafo.

salmon_central

Yup.
Often-times, they act shite.
They are on drugs, but, that doesn't make people forget the shitty things they do.
If people treat you or others badly, the addiction might explain it, but, it won't excuse it.
 Sorry.
 Don't do drugs, or, learn your limits when doing them.
 Mean take: Life is rough, the problem is YOURS, not ours.
 I'll give you enough rope to hang yourself, then, I'm done.

Lol little do people know their doctor is probably a cocaine addict

Usual_Strawberry7427

The worse is not the lack of empathy, They joke about it because, their internet says yes to that behavior.

Alternate_history_71

My family is cursed with addiction and it’s hard to fight.

Creative-Sea9211

 I agree , I am currently learning about addiction psychology and, it’s kinda sad that we don’t show more empathy towards them.

Beginning-Ant2482

I'll admit I dont have much empathy for drug addicts. Mostly, I want them to leave me alone. If I never encounter one, I'm perfectly content to let strangers drug themselves. I can't pull the crack pipe out of their mouth or take the pills out of their hands. There is realistically nothing I can do to help, and feeling sorry about it helps no one. Change comes from within. They have to want it. A lot don't.

metallee98

Where's that meme of the guy riding a bicycle when you need it? You know the one - where he puts a stick in his own tire to fall over and then lays on the ground crying about it while blaming someone else. That's how the world looks at addicts who die from an overdose. Like we're supposed to be sad you killed yourself out of stupidity? No

Laxlord007

It’s because it’s self-inflicted. It’s an easily-avoidable mistake

Nematic_

You would be surprised how many people out there are hanging on to day to day life by a thread. They need help. 

On the other hand, there are people who opened pandoras box and realized their addict life is better than normal life, or can't unhook the high. They actually choose to be that way. Even when they  occasionally try to come back into society. It usually doesn't work out. These cases are better left up their family, and not society to handle. Society has no reliable answers.

OpinionatedRichard

True, but when you have watched an innocent child die from cancer it’s hard to have empathy for adults that created their own problem with recreational drug use.

WaffleHouseBouncer

Sympathy for them only enables them. In the end, the pain of not knowing is less than the pain of knowing.

Fisterroboto76

I’m autistic I lack empathy for everyone

bobbobboob1

Well I dated a heroin and crack addict for four years. She was amazing but I had zero sympathy for her drug addiction or any of her friends because none of them took any responsibility for their actions and the help for them was always there.

Any-Conversation7485

There is no sympathy for drug addicts. Their body, their choice. They are just problems for everyone and use people to get what they want. Just like now. They got OP by the neck.

Jesus Christ crucified and God the Father and the Holy Spirit have gifted us these abominations so as to reduce the carbon footprint of humanity to save the planet! The Lord God works in mysterious ways as He has gifted humanity with wars and pandemics and famine also to reduce the carbon footprint of humanity! Thus spake Zarthustra

padme7777

&gt; There are 210 staples in a standard strip and sometimes I’d break off each individual one until my fingers hurt. I’ve even found strips with 209 and 211 a few times.

Find someone who looks at you like OP looks at a strip of 211 staples.

SnakeJG

Damn man, that's some heavy shit. Straight up "My Strange Addiction" territory.

DeadSet746

I just counted a strip of staples. His story checks out.

Fittritious

Since you seem to know your way around a box of staples, what's your favorite brand? Is there a size you prefer you prefer over the standard issue ones? Are heavy duty staples particularly satisfying to break apart? 

Bro, you can't just drop a staple addiction on us and then not give us a breakdown of the pros and cons of various types

Dude. Despite all the staples it seems your live is coming apart. 

Go see someone. Talk to a professional. 

The biggest red flag is the lack of control you describe. 

I’d also being asking the hard question of what this behavior is masking. 

It was a cool story though.

InanimateCarbonRodAu

Dude, you should upgrade your addiction like make sculptures out of staples.

LAJM99

_Aluminum_Foil_

I work at an Office Depot. I'll hook you up bro. I've never seen a staple person, but pen and paper clip folks, I've seen lots of those. I have people call when a new pen comes out to see if we got them. I open packages and sell them just one so they can add it to their collections.

SingleDadSurviving

Pyrobug11

I had never broken apart a bar of staples..... Until I read this post.   
I (very conveniently) found a box of 5,000 staples in my desk and broke a bar apart. Just to see what it felt like. My goodness. I have \*never\* experienced a more satisfying snap. It puts bubble wrap to shame. I've had these staples for about 5 years. How have I never done this?!

President_of_Pigeons

One of the best posts I ever read

Thanks so much for this

Halfsquatt

You'd do with a box of magnetic staples. If only such ones existed. You could break them apart, and assemble afterwards just to take another round.

snoopervisor

It’s not a fu. In fact, it’s a positive outcome that your family found out and is willing to stand by you and provide you with the support to help you manage this addiction.

WhiteJadedButterfly

msjs91011

I bet you just made some people start looking for some staples in their office now

I_AM_THE_REAL_GOD

DaMilkMang

This should be the staple standard of TIFU, not gonna lie.

Admiral_Agito

bugginout888

MessengerForEver2854

That's the weirdest yet not too terrifying thing I have ever read. 

Perhaps because it's so mundane and so compulsive, I don't know.

This can't be real.

scott60561

This is the best piece of creative writing that I’ve read in months. I don’t believe it’s true, but that doesn’t matter. I’m just some nobody on the Internet.

darrellgh

I call BS. 

You can get staples much cheaper than 10 packs for 20 dollars on amazon. And people with addictions find that sort of deal in an instant. Took me all of 10 seconds to find 10 packs of standard staples for 11 bucks, free shipping.

EDIT: Also, I know from personal experience that it's very difficult to break off a single staple from a new "line" of staples without breaking it further down the line. Even more so if you accidently break off 2.

corrado33

Now you have to worry about her finding the heroine.

maybe-not-

Muhiggins

OP should post a photo of his trunk full of staples as proof.


I'm halfway between 'this is too weird to be real' and 'you can't make this stuff up.'

clumpychicken

Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa shares his family's tragic battle with his son's drug addiction which led to his death.

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