Anti-Drug Events (Summer 2023)

I’ve done some anti-drug speaking this summer and thought I would post
some of the stories and pictures.

This event in July included a man in his 30s named Jason. He had some
mental health challenges early in life and was elated to find drugs and
alcohol at the age of 12. He said it helped him to fit in and have fun
with kids who were teenagers that he wanted to get the approval of. As
his addiction worsened, he eventually became homeless and faced
violence, starvation, and a life of crime. It took Jason many attempts
to get long-lasting sobriety. He joined AA and worked hard every day to get sober. Today, Jason has gotten his life back and has several
years of sobriety. He has a job and says he is much happier than before.

Jason’s speech to the teens was heartfelt and moving. When he finished
speaking and finished answering questions, I was able to process this
info with the teens and expand on some of Jason’s points. For many of the
teens, it was their first time hearing from someone who had been a
homeless addict and then regained sobriety and a normal life. As always,
I explored the option of never getting started with drugs in the first
place. We talked about what it could have been like if Jason had never
started with alcohol at a party when he was 12.

The urge to try drugs and alcohol can come from a desire to experiment,
normal curiosity, or a general sense of being rebellious. But for some
kids, the sense of emotional neediness and the desire for the approval
of others is the strongest motivator. I encourage teens to be aware of
these feelings in advance and know they are normal. Everyone has
moments where they feel left out or insecure, but we don’t want these
feelings to become so overwhelming that they cause us to make bad decisions.