Last week’s webchat on heroin use in Massachusetts… from posts like this one from user "chris":
"They are asking WHY, WHY? I was addicted (clean for a year), and I can tell you why. Because life has become unbearable. People who shoot heroin need help. Something is causing thier addiction."
…you can see it was an impassioned conversation. Click on this post to read the full transcript.
Claudine: Hi everyone, thanks for joining our chat today. Our moderator today is Ashley West. She is a recovering heroin addict and has bravely shared her story with us. Welcome, Ashley and thanks for moderating our chat today.
10:01 guest105844 Will this show be repeated anytime … I can’t listen at this time. Thanks!
10:05 Claudine this show will be repeated again tomorrow at 1pm and you can always liten online at our archive
10:07 Claudine Thanks for joining everyone. In case you missed the earlier message, Ashley West is moderating our webchat today. Thanks for joining us Ashley.
10:08 Claudine Does anyone in the room have experience with a drug problem or know someone who does?
10:09 Radio Boston Why do some people become addicts and not others ?
10:12 Ashley West I think its personalities, self esteem and most of all the people that you surround yourself with
10:16 Radio Boston Ashley, do you find it hard to stick with the right people and have friends while you go through recovery?
10:19 Ashley West but you learn and you learn what a real friend is quickly
10:20 Radio Boston Is anyone in the chat room now dealing with this problem ?
10:24 listening-at-work Ashley, I have a question for you.
10:24 Ashley West yes
10:25 listening-at-work As someone who’s been there, what sorts of measures do you think would be effective in helping young people stay away from the OC -> Heroin patern in the first place
10:26 listening-at-work I don’t know if that’s a fair question, but I’m hopelessly naieve about drug use in the first place.
10:27 listening-at-work I guess to rephrase: what has helped you, and do you think that it would help others?
10:29 ahmedtlala hi
10:30 Radio Boston There are many of you in the room but few comments. This is such a difficult topic to discuss, is that why people are reluctant to start a conversation?
10:30 Ashley West my future keeps me sober. I never dreamt of being an addict, I had high expectings for myselfand I won’t stop working
10:31 Ashley, how did you manage to actually overcome your addiction? I know that it must be an ongoing process, but how do you break the cycle? Do you have advice for people struggling with other addictions such as alcohol?
10:32 Toni I JUST walked out the door of High Point Treatment center after viviting my boyfriend. He’s been there since Tuesday. I made the call to get him placed. I have been trying to find a support group for myself as the loved one of an addict with no sucess.
10:33 Toni It’s so funny…my radio was set to 90.9 and the show was on while I was pulling out of the parking lot.
10:34 Ashley West Don’t feel like its you, my family did everything to try to help me but I didn’t care when your using nothing else matters. We don’t want to hurt you guys but we don’t even know how much we are hurting and effecting your lives
10:34 Toni I really feel like I’m going to be an important part of his recovery, but I’m soooooo need some support for myself right now.
10:35 Ashley West we’re selfish people we’re self centered but we do need you. Your support matters more than you even know. Theres no way I would have been able to get this far without the support I have
10:35 Toni Ashley….I totally see that. I just sat with him and cried and I think he finally understands what this has been doing to me.
10:36 Emma from Waltham, MA Ashley, do you find that there is a lack of education in the schools and community regarding drug addiction? I’ve heard how quickly one can get addicted to heroin and wouldn’t touch it. Is that information not getting out there?
10:39 Sara Did anyone else use Naltrexone to stay clean? It was incredibly helpfull to me,a ndI havent heard of it much since. I got clean about 7 years ago
10:39 Ashley West I use naltroxone. No suboxone none of those replacent drugs
10:40 Ashley West and I am a firm believer that that is what saved me and the practice I go to.
10:40 Cris They are asking WHY, WHY? I was addicted (clean for a year), and I can tell you why. Because life has become unbearable. People who shoot heroin need help. Something is causing thier addiction.
10:40 Toni Is Naltroxone exclusivly used for heroine addiction?
10:40 Cris There is always a reason
10:41 Sara naltrexone saved me for sure
10:41 Toni My bofriend is fighting clinical feppression and the grief of loosing both his parents just in the past 3 years. He uses to self medicate those feelings.
10:41 Ashley West yes cravings are a huge part of relapse and I barely ever get cravings I couldn’t even tell you the last time I wanted to use.
10:42 Ashley West Theres often a duel digagnois and that is huge with people with addictions we self medicate to get those feelings away but they do have other drugs that are safe to help these feelings
10:42 Cris Parents need to realize that drug abuse is caused by deep-seated pain
10:43 Sara i had no deep seated pain
10:43 Emma from Waltham, MA Then here is another "why?", Chris. Why do some people turn to drugs when life becomes unbearable and some turn to workaholism or more constructive distractions? I’m an orphan and have been homeless several times but did not turn to drugs.
10:43 Cris I doubt that.. There’s something that causes it. And until
10:43 Cris you figure it ou
10:43 Toni I hope that the right psych meds. and therapy will help him and make it easier for him to stay clean.
10:44 Sara i think that it was simply, fear of life, fear of feelings.
10:44 Toni I think everyone is wired differently and people respond to stress in different ways.
10:45 Cris so did i. I’m in med school. and I started using because of the death of my fiance and abandonment by my parents. But I stopped and Became constructive and I’m a much better person because of all that
10:45 Sara I think getting clean is largely stregth of will. deciding you want to have a life for yourself. Not, anyone else. I tried getting clean for my family etc., didnt work
10:45 Ashley West no one wants to be an addict you need to understand that we get caught up with the wrong people and make the wrong decisions. It was the hardest thing in my life but it can be done
10:46 Cris people turn to workaholism for the same reason.. there’s pain there
10:46 Cris I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for heroin
10:47 Cris I would have killed myself
10:47 Ashley West most addicts always turn to workaholism or go to the gym 6 hours a day, eating disorders you need to follow up with therapy and support
10:47 Cris yep
10:47 Sara true
10:48 Toni will someone who uses Naltrexone (sp?) always have to be on it?
10:49 Cris you have to taper
10:49 Cris I’ve cut my dose in half
10:49 Cris in the past month
10:49 Toni Ah
10:50 Ashley West no, you stop when your ready. I am actually on a naltrexone and a blocker and it might be a security thing but it helps atleast for a year because you need to learn to train your brain and learn to love yourself and your life
10:50 Cris yeah, you have to be in a good place.
10:50 Cris but you can get off with little to no pain
10:51 Toni that’s excellent! I bet it’s damn near impossible to get though.
10:51 Emma from Waltham, MA Ashley, Cris - I’m so glad you are getting through this and recovering. You obviously have much to contribute to others.
10:52 Ashley West No. I was at hide point doing a commitment and a bunch of people came to the practice I go to and this doctors has them all over the state
10:52 Cris thank you
10:53 Toni So I could ask his psychologist at High Point about it then?
10:53 Cris www.suboxone.com
10:53 Cris put in your zipcode and get some phone numbers
10:53 Toni Is suboxone the same thing?
10:53 Cris yeah
10:53 Ashley West no its not
10:53 Toni OH! I C
10:53 Cris they’re talking about it on the radio
10:53 guest384311 Do you have any advice for parents listening to the show right now? My oldest child is thirteen and this is terrifying
10:54 Toni ooohhh..brb then
10:54 scuta22 soboxone is only a temporary fix for a long term problem
10:54 Ashley West suboxone is a replacement
10:54 Ashley West and then you have to kick the suboxone too
10:54 scuta22 it is like putting a bandaid on a severe wound
10:54 guest510537 To what extent is this problem the result of the war in Afgahnistan? Such large quantities of opium being produced over there now.
10:55 Cris be involved with your kids
10:55 Ashley West Toni I can give you a practice that is near wherever you are about the naltrexone and the practice is amazing they will get you through everything I even go to groups 3 days a week drug tests all the time
10:56 Cris i was able to taper my suboxone to half of what I took. I took a tiny tiny piece off the pill each time.. it was realitively easy
10:56 Ashley West Educate your kids
10:56 Toni Please! That would be so helpful Ashley.
10:56 guest384311 What does that mean to be involved with your kids? What kind of involvement do you feel is key or was missing for you?
10:57 Toni We live in Weymouth and he’s in therapy in Plymouth
10:57 Ashley West weymouth
10:57 Ashley West theres one in weymouth
10:57 Toni awesome!
10:58 Cris just them being there. there was no discipline or too much discipline
10:58 Ashley West and they have the groups there 2 nights a week too if he wanted too there awesome
10:58 Toni I wonder why nobody has offered him this before?
10:58 Cris give them their freedom, but step in when they do something wrong.
10:58 Toni I feel like he’s ready to make a commitment now and I think the more support and therapy and groups he can get, the better.
10:58 Ashley West hold on toni I’m going to get you the number and stuff for you. I promise you this place saved my life
10:59 Toni *big kisses for Ashley*
10:59 Cris teach them what they need to do to be good responsible people– doing laundry, etc will give them responsibilty and make them feel good. Get them involved in after school activities, sports
11:00 Cris if it becomes a problem, have a young person whose had a bad experience talk to them
11:01 Cris keep a completely open line of communication
11:01 Cris let them feel as though they can talk to you aout anything
11:02 Ashley West I honestly hope that I gave some of you some good information today if theres any questions or anything I can do, I have tons of experience I’ve tried every option email me ——————–
11:05 Cris thanks
11:06 Radio Boston Ashley, thank you so much for sharing your story and helping people in our chatroom today. For everyone in the chat room, we will provide a link to the treatment clinic that Ashley goes to if that will help.
11:06 Toni Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing. Maybe I should play the lottery today…LOL!
11:06 Radio Boston Check our website later this afternoon for more information and thanks for participating in today’s chat.
11:06 guest794281 P)
11:08 Ashley West gooodluck toni and really if you need anything write that email
11:08 Cris yeah good luck to everyone
11:09 guest346268 has left
11:09 guest666898 stay strong!
