The Teenage Face of Heroin Abuse: Sean O'Conner, 19
Reader Comments
qTuDGjHeLErxkNAQFD
It is science that deals with an observation, and then uses facts, reason, and logic to deduce the story of what happened in the past. ,
hello
Hello Sean,
I just read about your situation and see its been awhile...hopefully this e-mail finds you in a better place in your life. My life has been greatly effected by herion. My nephew passed awy this past September from an overdose, he was only 23 years old. It was a shcok to the whole family...he was doing well we thought....in fact I think he was doing well...but back slided and decided to do herion....again, this time it took his life and part of our hearts went with him. I am now trying to do research on this drug and eduacate myself and try to help others to stay away from it....I want my nephews death not be in vain...somehow if I can help one person to realize to TAKE NO CHANCES WITH THIER LIFE BY DOING HEROIN, educate them of the danger they are dealing with.
I am glad to hear you have taken the steps to get off this drug and remain alive. I would love to hear from you. Any advice that you may have to pass onto to me to pass along would be awesome!
To Sean
You seem like a very strong young man. Yes, you probably very fragile, too. But, it is your inner strength that will hold you together so that you can tear down the walls and allow yourself to be fragile. Because, it is a lot easier to put up mental and emotional walls when you are feeling consumed by doubt, pain, and insecurity. But, it takes TRUE STRENGTH to actually LET YOURSELF FEEL THOSE THINGS AND TRULY BE FRAGILE.
There is more strength in vulnerability than there is in putting up fake walls.
What impressed me about your story was your voice - your humbleness, your honesty, your realness. THESE are the qualities that make you impressive - not your friends or your money or how outwardly impressive you are... but how INWARDLY impressive you are. (I hope that that makes sense).
You have come so far! Please don't make the mistake that EVERY SINGLE ex-addict makes before they relapse... PLEASE DON'T EVER TAKE YOUR SOBRIETY FOR GRANTED!!! You are so young and you have so much ahead of you. There are going to be WONDERFUL times when you look around and you can't believe how lucky you are or how amazing your life is! But, there are also going to be times when you can't believe that things seem to be getting worse and you can't believe how horrible things feel.
But, DON'T EVER TAKE YOUR SOBRIETY FOR GRANTED!!! No matter how HORRIBLE things may seem, NOTHING IN LIFE WILL EVER BE AS HORRIBLE as the night when the people, the situations, and your decisions in life led you to be convulsing against a tree with a neighbor who treated your life as if it was just disposable.
That low moment saved you by letting you realize that you had hit your bottom.
And that moment will save you again and again if you remind yourself that nothing in life is so horrible that you would rather be convulsing and dying against a tree than enduring the hardships that life may throw your way.
So, if things are getting unbearable (and, they will, at times), remember that nothing is worth being back at that tree stump. And, using once will get you right back to that horrific place. Drinking ONCE is just a longer route to THAT TREE STUMP. Call a friend - even if you feel like a burden. (It's better to be a burden than to be treated like your life is disposable). Impose a little if you have to! Call a sponsor. Call a crisis hotline. Cry uncontrollably for days...weeks...MONTHS, if you have to! Do WHATEVER IT TAKES to NEVER drink or drug again!
The only sure-fire way to show yourself that your life IS NOT disposable is to show that YOUR SOBRIETY is not disposable. Guard your sobriety with your life BECAUSE IT IS YOUR LIFE. Only by doing WHATEVER IT TAKES will you show yourself how much you love and value yourself.
And, even if you think that they are full of BS, FOLLOW THE ADVICE of the ex-addicts who have been in the trenches.
You're strong, real, humble, and honest. You're owning up to your mistakes (which a lot of non-addicts can't even do). I'm so proud of you!
TO Sean
I PROUD OF YOU!!! Hang in there and time will help you over come the evil of that dam drug.
I have a son whom is battling too. He is 20, I could not see him anymore living this evil lifestyle and hurting me and his family, he stole from Us and stole from friends and strangers. One night I almost thought I lost him, I didn't know what to do! I called a ambulance and off to the hospital and he almost died on me, since then I can't trust him or even believe a word he says anymore, that's how bad this drug makes you become. I love my son more than life itself and I cry everyday and say WHY????? 3 days ago we just buried one of his buddies from a bad bag of dope, now here it is Christmas Day, his family will never be the same. My son cried to see his buddy in that casket, I hope he learned something!! I hope and I pray for my son and ALL YOU KIDS out there to please try to stop and be sincere about it and I know it is HARD, I KNOW, BUT LIFE IS TO SHORT AND YOU HAVE TO MUCH TO DO AND SEE IN LIFE, PLEASE-----Stay clean, Be strong, Use your head, think of all the things you still have to do. BE STRONG AND CARRY ON!!! Leave that evil behind. I WISH YOU THE BEST AND I WILL PRAY EVERYDAY FOR YOU LIKE I DO FOR MY SON. May God be with you always
Dear Sean
I am so proud of you Sean. You can do this you have the power to beat this. You know it is within you, just let the true Sean come out...
Please take this chance seriously. You have a lot of people standing behind you, we are all ready to provide the support you need to help you let the beautiful young man that lives in your heart out to begin his journey down a clean and sober road.
I cant wait for the day you keep your promise to me and I will be able to tell if you are really happy or just telling me what I want to hear.
I Love you with all my heart. And pray, in my own way, for the day you can look in that mirror and like what you see. You will get there be patient, take it one day at a time.
To Sean
Hang in there!!!! My son too is batteling addition as you. He is 22 years old and has been in and out of rehabs(never completed one program) and Jail.
Two months ago he check himself back into a rehab and for the first time completed the whole program (62 days plus 7 days detox). He is now living at a sober house and continues to stay clean... However everday is a struggle to maintain is sobriety. He Continue to pray and take one hour at a time...It will get better in time! I scence that you are very determined to stay clean. Continue too and know that you are not alone and there are people who you have not met that will continue to pray for you. God Bless you, dear.
To Sean
Hang in there!!!! My son too is batteling addition as you. He is 22 years old and has been in and out of rehabs(never completed one program) and Jail.
Two months ago he check himself back into a rehab and for the first time completed the whole program (62 days plus 7 days detox). He is now living at a sober house and continues to stay clean... However everday is a struggle to maintain is sobriety. He Continue to pray and take one hour at a time...It will get better in time! I scence that you are very determined to stay clean. Continue too and know that you are not alone and there are people who you have not met that will continue to pray for you. God Bless you, dear.
Sweet Soul
You don't know me, but my 18 year old son died from mixing heroin with other drugs in April. My life has been a sad hellish journey since then. I want you to know that I am praying for your success on your hard road ahead! You are a handsome, well-spoken young man (like my son was)- life has so much waiting for you - TAKE IT!!
Blessings.
Kathleen
to sean
you are so loved, I am so proud of you acceptance is the right road to recovery. you will always be a addict but you can be a recovering addict that can make a difference in your life and the life of others, god works in funny ways, you are a wonderful person and now that you have accepted your addiction you can over come and stand up for yourself and make your live a live that you have never know, I love you and only wish the best you are accepting and dealing with your problem and beleive me, this is the start of your new journey in life that will give you a fresh start and you will get all the rewards that you deserve. life sometimes bites but you have to work with what you got and i promise you can do this and you will see that life gets better, always remember that you are the only one that can stop this addiction and make a new and brighter future for yourself, I wish that i could make this all better but as you know I have been sober for five years and even thought i am in the fight for my life i will never give up because my soberity is the most important thing that i can do for MYSELF is stay sober and deal with life on lives terms, and i will always be there for you and there is nothing that you can tell me that I having heard before. and if there is anyone that ever needs someone to set them strait you will be the one to follow in my footsteps and help them out because you have been my example of that it does work if you work it never give up always fight to keep your soberity and always remember that its one day at a time, god didnt create tommorow yet so live in today and you will get threw it. I love you and again are very proud of you, acceptance is the only answer to recovery, when life gets you down look up to god he will carry you to the light of life and take you by your hand and lead you to this wonderful place called life one day at a time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
