WHO IS A HEROIN ADDICT
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop suffering from heroin addiction (HA 3rd Tradition).
For some of our members, admitting we were heroin addicts happened long before we ever made it to our first meetings. For others, coming into the rooms and introducing ourselves as heroin addicts seemed humiliating. Perhaps we were down on our luck or ran into some legal trouble, but all we needed was a break from heroin to be all right. If only we could make it through the withdrawals, we could put our lives back together. Whatever our initial conceptions, we found we had to honestly determine if we were heroin addicts before we could recover.
Our members come from all walks of life. Some of us maintained jobs and relationships while others of us lost those things a long time ago. Some of us smoked heroin, some of us snorted it, and some of us injected it. Many of us had serious legal problems and a good many more had none at all. Some of our members were brought to the brink of death through multiple overdoses. Some of us never overdosed at all.
While we have as many different experiences as there are members in our fellowship, we all have some things in common. We all found that despite our best efforts, we had lost all control over heroin once we started using. We told ourselves we would save some for the morning or not use at work, but quickly these promises were broken.. Our best plans to control when and how much we use seemed to fail nearly every time. How often we told ourselves it would only be one time and instead we were off to the races again!
We also found that we were unable to stop using, or if we did stop, were unable to stay stopped. How many of us, relieved to be alive after an overdose, told ourselves we would never use again and then found ourselves getting high the next day. Many of us promised we would stop when we got into legal trouble, then found ourselves failing drug tests at our probation office. In moments of despair, some of us swore we would never use again to our families or our kids, only to be ashamed to be high shortly after.
In moments of clarity, we could concede to ourselves that we were no longer in control. We could not control how much we used and we could not stop despite our best efforts and intentions.
We do not like to proclaim anyone as being a heroin addict. The person who needs to make that decision is you. If you are unsure you are an addict, here are some helpful questions:
1. Have you ever used more heroin than you planned?
2. Do you wish you could stop using heroin and find that you are unable to quit?
3. Do you consume the entire amount of heroin you have and then immediately desire to get more?
- Is your heroin use negatively affecting your relationships with friends or family?
5. Have you ever stopped using or detoxed and then found yourself unable to quit entirely?
6. Have you continued to use heroin even after you experienced an overdose?
7. Are you preoccupied with getting heroin when you do not have it?
8. Are you afraid that if you stop using heroin that you will not be able to function?If you answered yes to any of these questions or are still unsure, you may want to consider going to some Heroin Anonymous meetings.By admitting we were heroin addicts, we have found freedom from our addiction. Our lives have taken on new meaning and purpose. No longer do we have to walk around with fear and anxiety. If you are a heroin addict, there is a solution that worked, and continues to work for us.
Revised June 2022
