Working in recovery AA NA

I use to see the world differently. I would hear about someone getting arrested for possession of drugs and think to myself, "good another dirt bag off the streets." I would look at an addict as someone less than me. Someone that society would be better off without. I never stopped to think how they got there or what event in that persons life made them turn to drugs or alcohol? I'm ashamed to say this but at one point in my life I didn't even see someone struggling with addiction as a person. All I seen was a criminal, a lowlife. Not the human that they were. After all drug users are responsible for a lot of violent crimes. Home invasions, car jackings, muggings, robberies, even murder. I bought into that line of thought that was pushed down every school kids throat back in the 80's. Hell it was sold to us wholesale in all forms of media. "Miami Vice" played on the t.v. every Friday night. The video game "NARK" ate all the quarters our young minds could feed it. Crime bills were signed into law giving those who needed help longer jail time. We all cheered and chanted " Just say no!". Little was done to actually try to help those who were suffering from addiction. Anyone who suggested that drug users be placed in treatment was called a bleeding heart and accused of being anti law enforcement.
We were blind. addicts are people. They are husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, daughters and sons. They are people living a nightmare. trapped in their own personal hell. At some point in theirs lives their friends and family failed them and allowed them to stray down a path of destruction. How would it feel to you if your own mother gave up on you? Could you deal with the heartbreak of being lead astray by a so called friend or even a family member? What if everyone around you turned their back on you just because of an illness? Addiction is an illness. Addiction is also a trap. Once it takes hold it will never let go. The addict becomes shunned by those they thought were friends and family. This causes them to fall deeper into addiction. Hopelessness takes root and eventually two things are bound to happen. Run ins with the law and death. Unless someone reaches out to help. I work in the field of addiction recovery. You see several years ago I learned something. A truth that people like to deny and that is all it takes is one bad day. That is all that separates most of us from addiction. That bad day is different for all of us. For some i t might be a break up and we try to forget our heartache by getting drunk. for others that bad day might be a injury that pain medication is prescribed to you. For me it was the loss of a job. Depression set in with the depression my health declined I was in constant pain and was prescribed an opioid. I became addicted. It didn't take long, just a few days. Luckily I had someone there that noticed the signs of addiction and helped me get through it. Let me tell you it's easy to get addicted but it's a bitch to recover. Now I work with those who have had that bad day. I do my best to guide them to recovery and to getting their life back. Sometimes it feels like I am fighting a loosing battle and there have been losses. More losses than victories. however when you see a person successfully complete the treatment program and and stay sober it makes it all worth it.
For those of you who are struggling with addiction or have a loved one struggling with addiction there is hope.