Drug Addiction: The Detrimental Effects Go Beyond the User. What and How Went Wrong?

I have never had to deal with a family member or friend that suffers from drug addiction until now. Actually I have two separate friends that are immediately involved, my involvement is to listen and provide emotional support and try to make sense of it all which is impossible. Friend one had a bond she thought could never be broken with her sister, but it had been. Friends number two, a husband and wife. Their twenty something year old daughter had her whole life to live. Now her life revolves around scoring drugs daily.

I will refer to friends number two as Sally and her husband Harry. Sally and Harry are extremely loving, generous and charitable people. They have and continue to give emotionally and financially to charities and are always willing to help the less fortunate in need.

Sally & Harry have a daughter (I will refer to as Kim) that has been plagued with drug addiction. Like any disease until treated, it spreads and progressively becomes worse. Kim was able to fly under the radar for only so long. Drug addiction causes its victim’s to lie, cheat, steal and sometimes worse. Victims will not consider who they hurt physically or emotionally to meet their addictive need. Emotional pain and guilt weighs heavily for everyone that revolves around the victim’s circle but especially for those who are closest. Sally and Harry are extremely supportive in every way during Kim’s battle to beat her addiction. During treatment all are blessed and Kim gives birth to a beautiful baby girl named Rachel.

Trials and tribulations occur with time as Kim tries to regain personal responsibility by obtaining employment, caring for her daughter and ultimately being self sufficient. Sadly to say Kim free falls and is unable to stay clean. Kim has repeatedly used drugs, lied, stolen from her parents and probably others. The worst of it all, Kim uses baby Rachel as a pawn to acquire whatever she needs from her parents. Sally and Harry take action and legally remove baby Rachel from her.

A period of time lapses and Kim has little interest in her baby Rachel. She continues to try and manipulate her parents to no avail. Kim becomes desperate and is later arrested for credit card fraud. During Kim’s jail time her parents refuse to assist her further and proceed legally to strip Kim of all her parental rights. Kim eventually leaves jail and quickly tries to block her parent’s efforts with the help of a public defender. The justice system is not perfect and child care workers seem to make poor choices. Kim has created a legal battle for her parents and baby Rachel (now 3 ½ years old) who has been living in a loving stable home for about a year. Kim’s addiction takes no prisoners as she fights to take back her valuable pawn.

During my last conversation with Sally she had informed me of the latest developments (detailed above) with anger, sadness and frustration. I know that Sally and Harry have fought tirelessly for their daughter and their granddaughter. A rarity, Sally conveyed to me that her daughter Kim was better off dead. I was not mortified of these feelings knowing the circumstances and consoled Sally. I concurred; I truly believe these feelings are justified. To fight for someone you love and once knew to be beautiful is no longer that person. Your love and hope continually squashed by your baby’s malicious behavior you are trying to save. To salvage your own life you prey your daughter’s ends.

I learned that drug addiction ruins and destroys life way beyond the individual victim. The victim’s family and friends always have endless questions to why all this has happened, not to my wife, my husband, my daughter, my brother, my sister, my son, my daughter, my friend? Their loved one with the same nurturing environment as them has succumbed to drug addiction. It seems the agonizing question as to why rings constantly. Why?