I quit!

This archived article was written by: Name withheld by request

Typically a resolution made on New Years is pushed
aside and quickly forgotten. This is not the case for me.
On January 1, 2008, I decided to quit drugs. For many the
idea to quit comes and goes like the tides of the ocean.
As this is not the case for me, I implore you to continue
reading and see what I have to say.

This decision was not made because of a bad come
down, nor was it made after police arrested me. The
conclusion that that part of my life is done fi nally came
after a month or so of trying to fi gure out the best way
and time to say goodbye. What better way and time than
the fi rst day of a new year.

When a person uses drugs you don’t
really quit, you just don’t use again.

Whether it is alcohol, marijuana, painkillers,
or when I said goodbye, Ecstasy and
Acid. Both of these drugs induce feelings
of euphoria and hallucinations, which is
interesting when you consider the decision
to stop using these substances came
while they were still coursing through
my veins.

Let’s start at the beginning and try to
make sense of this decision. Acid has been
my drug of choice, since the first time I
tried it. I learned more about myself as
a person and what I ultimately want out
of life on Acid than I ever did sitting in
a classroom or talking with my parents.
No matter who you are, or how hard you
try, there is no lying to Acid. It brings
out whatever are your true thoughts. The
things that are hidden from view are suddenly
brought to attention.

Ecstasy has always been the girl I never
talked to but always was interested in. I’ve
seen people become e-tarded, and that has
always kept me away. At the same time
the urge to know what it is all about has
always been there too.

Finally the decision was made that New
Year’s would be the time I tried Ecstasy.
Never being one to make snap decisions I
wanted to try it out so that there would be
no surprises when the day came. Ecstasy
was fun, don’t get me wrong, but it isn’t
for me. The sensations experienced were
good but Acid will always be number
one. I’m only going to talk about those
two because those two were what I was
on that day.

As we get older our priorities change,
that’s normal. One major factor in my
decision to quit was school, plain and
simple. I’ve come so far and accomplished
so much to have it stripped away from me
now. Drugs can do that, and there isn’t
anything you can do about it. Receiving
an education and being able to use that
education for the benefit of others is one
of the best reasons in my mind. You won’t
be taken seriously if the majority of people
you are trying persuade don’t agree with
the choices you make.

I thirst for knowledge not because I’m
trying to prove I’m more intelligent than
other people. I thirst because knowledge
is one thing that cannot under any circumstance
be taken away. Drugs can affect the
ability to recall that information, and I’m
not willing to let that happen. I’ve learned
from my experiences with drugs, I’m sure
that anyone who has used drugs can tell you
they learned something. Some people learn
better ways to use their drugs, and others
learn that drugs aren’t the answer.

Another reason was seeing my friend
from high school in a hospital bed finally
awake after spending three days in a
coma. When the paramedics arrived at my
friend’s house, his breathing was slowed
to the brink of death, 16 seconds between
inhaling and exhaling. An overdose of
Heroin was to blame for that one. After he
was on life support in the ambulance, the
paramedics called his dad and informed
him they didn’t think he would make it
to the hospital.

He died but was brought back to life
on that ride. At the hospital he showed
no brain activity, couldn’t breathe on his
own and wouldn’t respond to stimuli.
Seeing my friend in that situation brought
me to tears. No drug is worth your life.
Thankfully his story has a happy ending,
he woke up and has no residual effects
from that overdose. I know his outcome is
rare. I’ve had to deal with death because
of drugs more times than I would wish
on anyone.

I quit while I was ahead, that is the
best place to quit and thank God I was
able to.

My purpose in writing this is not to
receive congratulations or a medal, but
rather the hope that something I say will be
the answer someone reading this is looking
for. I’m not criticizing anyone who uses
drugs, it’s your life. Live it. I don’t know
where you’ve been, the things you’ve seen
or experienced and I’m not claiming to.
Under no circumstance am I telling people
how to live their lives. I know I hated it
when people did that to me so why would
I do that to other people?

One thing I am requesting is that you
take a minute and think long and hard
about what you are doing and if it makes
you happy. Happiness comes from within,
it can be inf luenced by outside sources,
sure, but we control our own happiness.
If your choices make you honestly happy
that’s good, if not then why are you
making them? Everyone should think
about this, no matter your age, sex, race
or religious preference. Life is too short
not to be happy.

One human to another.