“Addict” is Not a Label or a Stereotype
Many people have preconceived ideas of what an addict is like. Maybe the ideas you have include: crazed, can’t hold down a job, maybe abusive, possibly homeless, certainly not kind, compassionate or caring, or potentially not holding down a high powered job, successful and influential in business.
But the thing is that addicts don’t fit into one particular category. They are just people who developed a dependency. Whether it is alcohol, weed, coke, heroin, prescription drugs, or any other drug, people from all realms of life and all variations of personality get addicted. Certainly, there may be some more common traits, but there is certainly many, many people who won’t fit into any of these stereotypes.
At Narconon centres around the world, we see every possible type of person, rich or poor, shy or outgoing, kind or unfriendly, hopeful or hopeless, creative, and sometimes even brilliant. Anyone is susceptible to drug addiction. It is not just one category of people who are susceptible.
Knowing this can help open your eyes to the possibility of it happening near or around you. It is easy to think "ah we have jobs," or "we have close families," or "we have a good friend group," or, or, or… "…so that wouldn’t happen to us." Instead, know the signs and signals that addiction may be occurring and never rule out that someone "couldn’t possibly be addicted because…" Doing that closes your eyes and often lets something get out of hand before it is picked up on, rather than early when it is easier to handle.
I heard a recent story of a heroin addict, she went to a good school, had a good family, a job, etc. and yet at some point heroin addiction took over. She is now clean, came through the Narconon programme in the USA and no one believes she ever could have been hooked on drugs, because she doesn’t fit a stereotype of a heroin addict… yet it happened.
So dismiss those stereotypes and keep your eyes peeled.
