Dealing with Methamphetamine Addiction

Dealing with addiction.

  I am a recovering meth addict. I used from 2000 until I found out I was pregnant in 2003. It was an every day thing for me to go out and get my ‘fix’ so to speak. I am now 6 years clean and still working on it every day. It has been a constant struggle and I have done it all on my own. I did not do a rehab program, nor did I have any family support what so ever.  The only one that was ever there for me was my dear daughter and she was much to young to understand what I was going through.

  My journey to sobriety began in October of 2003.  I was 16 years old and had just found out I was 12 weeks pregnant. My whole world had changed. I went from using methamphetamine everyday along with a large variety of other substances {i.e. alcohol, marijuana, and several others.} to having the choice of continuing and taking the chance of my baby having horrible birth defects, or risking the chance of losing my baby and quiting cold turkey. I decided that I was not going to make an innocent baby suffer because of my selfishness. I quit using on October 14 2003. 

  I took me 2 months to fully detox from the large amounts of drugs I had used for a little over 3 years. During that time I had felt worse than I ever thought possible. It took everything I had not to take ‘just one more hit’ to ease the pain and effects of sobering up. While I was ‘ drying out ‘ I had the shakes so bad at times I thought my insides were turning to jello. I got fevers, cold sweats, horrible migraines, and aches and pains through out my entire body. It has taken years for my body to heal from my excessive use and will never be to full health. My heart is not near as strong as it should be, my stomach still suffers the effects from eating methamphetamine, I have memory loss, and my lungs do not work to full capacity as they should.

  Since my sobriety began it has been a long journey. It takes will power and inner strength to be able to stay sober when suffering from an addiction. Don’t try and do it alone, you need support from family and/or friends. Rehab and counseling can assist you in learning to live life sober again. I never got those things and wish I could have. I over came my addiction and am still working on it. Addiction is a disease and you are never cured from it however it is possible to live with it and move past it to live a full and happy life drug free. If you do have an addiction and are ready to sober up go to a meeting either at N.A. or A.A.  Go seek help with a counselor, at a rehab, or a treatment center, and remember there is life beyond addiction. Good luck with your journey and always move forward never go back.