Addicts affliction by Sapphire Raine

For those of you that know, this is my daughter, Madi.

For those of that don’t know, this is my daughter, Madi.

For those of you that know, you know.

For those of you that don’t know, she is an addict.

I have been on this journey with her since she was 14 years old. She will celebrate her 20th birthday in 37 days. Which is ironic because I was 20 when I had her. We are 6 years and 3 rehabs in. Read on.

Did you know that addiction is classified in the DSM-5? It’s a mental illness that lives in the brain stem: the same brain stem that serves a critical role in regulating certain involuntary actions of the body, including heartbeat and breathing. Pause on that. Addicts feel that they need their drug of choice (DOC) the same way they feel they need to breathe. Pause on that.

Did you know that our society treats addiction as a moral issue and pawns it off on law enforcement to “control”? The average stay in jail is 14 days or less. Where addicts are left to detox alone…outside of medical supervision.
Did you know the detox process can be violent and result in death if not monitored by medical professionals?
The addict is then released at the time their serotonin levels are at their lowest, leading to a high rate of relapse. It’s a pun to say this is criminal. It takes an average of 14-16 months of sobriety for an addict’s brain to balance serotonin levels to that of a neuro-typical brain. Did you know that? Did you know that most insurances will only pay for

THE STREETS

I look into his soft brown eyes
ALL I WANT TO DO IS CRY
HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL
WITH A HEART OF GOLD
HE DANCES AND SINGS
HE APPRECIATES THE LITTLE THINGS
ITS BEEN A LONG DAY ON HIS FEET
BUT TONIGHT
HE WONT SLEEP ON THE STREET
HE ATE A GOOD MEAL
HE DOESNT KNOW HOW TO FEEL
HE TRIES TO HIDE THE PAIN
BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO GAIN
HE KNOWS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG
BUT HE TRIES TO BE STRONG
HE HAS SO MUCH FEAR
SO HE DRINKS ANOTHER BEER
WHAT WILL TOMORROW BRING
WILL THE PHONE JUST RING AND RING
WHAT STRANGER WILL HE APPROACH
ASKING TO USE THE PHONE
WHO WILL HE CALL
DOES ANYONE CARE AT ALL
WILL THEY EVEN BE HOME
WILL THEY ANSWER THE PHONE
WHERE WILL HE HIDE FROM THE HEAT
WILL THIS BE HIS FINAL DEFEAT
RECORD HIGHS ARE ON THE RISE
Sometimes all he wants to do is die
INSTEAD HE JUST CRIES
HE STAYS STRONG
QUESTIONING WHAT HE EVER DID WRONG
WHy does he deserve this LIFE
FIRST IT WAS HIS MIND
NOW HE's going blind
The days turn into weeks
And months to years
until there are no more tears
AND THE FEARS
WELL, THEY disappear
IS THIS REALLY his new LIFE
WITH NOTHING BUT HEARTACHE AND STRIFE
Once a beloved brother uncle and son
A HARD WORKING MAN
HE FIT THE NORM
NOW A NEW MAN IS BORN
A LOOSER TO MOST
maybe EVEN A GHOST
THE ONES THAT HE SHOWED SO MUCH LOVE
WELL SOME ARE LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE
THE OTHERS HAVE TURNED HIM AWAY
HE HAS NOWHERE TO STAY
BUT HE MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER DAY
FEELING REJECTED and ABUSED
HE IS SO CONFUSED
SO HE CLOSES HIS EYES
THEN HE STARTS TO CRY
UNTIL, HE REALIZES HE MIGHT FIND PEACE
WHILE HE SLEEPS
EVEN THOUGH ITS ON THE STREETS
HE FEELS ACCEPTED
HES NO LONGER REJECTED
REALITY SETS IN
IS THIS HIS NEW HOME
WHERE HE BELONGS
WHERE HE HAS TO BE STRONG
BECAUSE THINGS ALWAYS GO WRONG
HE AWAKENS TO ANOTHER LONEY DAY
THE RAT RACE HAS BEGUN
AND IT WONT BE FUN
THIS WORLD CAN BE CRUEL
HES NO FOOL
SO NOW HE CHOOSES THE STREETS
BECAUSE HE JUST WANTS TO FIND PEACE
THIS WORLD MIGHT BE CRUEL But hes no fool!
[ by: Sapphire Raine 24]

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