Chapter 1: Childhood and Adolescence

My childhood was a happy one. I loved my parents, and my parents loved me back.
I was an only child, so I got all of my parents' love and attention. I also had a lot of
friends and did well in school. In elementary school, I didn't have any significant
problems with bullying beyond the usual teasing that every kid gets. All in all, I had
an idyllic existence as a child.

It was in middle school that my troubles with drugs started. I didn't start out as a
heavy drug user. I first started smoking pot in the eighth grade with my friends in
one of my best friends' basement. None of us thought that the pot was a huge deal.
We certainly didn't believe that any of us would turn into heavy drug users when we
got older. We all planned on going to college and then living fabulous lives. Little did
I know what was in store for me.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse stated that almost 20 million people smoked
marijuana in 2013. Being one of those people, I thought that I would end up a casual
user like my friends. I didn't know that I would become a heavy drug user in just a
few years.

In high school, a friend introduced me to Adderall. He said that it would help me
study. I figured anything that would help me get better grades couldn't be that bad
for me. I was in honors and AP classes, and I was looking for any study aid that
could give me an edge over my super competitive classmates. While the Adderall
did help with concentration, I also found that I couldn't even do a simple reading
assignment without taking a couple of pills. Soon I discovered that I had trouble
concentrating on the most straightforward task if I didn't take those pills. Before I
knew it, I was hooked. But I got good grades, so my parents didn't have a clue
what was going on below the surface.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens says that many teenagers take
prescription drugs such as Adderall because they think it will help them do better
in school. Yes, Adderall helped with school. But I also experienced social instability
at school for the first time in my life. For example, I wasn't part of the popular crowd
anymore. The friends that I had when I was younger turned to parties while I turned
to academics, community service, and school activities. Sure I had made new
friends since then, but I mourned the loss of my old ones. I also started smoking pot
a lot more. My use of Adderall also increased. I still find it amazing that I graduated
from high school near the top of my class. I probably would have made valedictorian
if it wasn't for all the Adderall and pot.

Chapter 2: My First Time at College

I ended up going to my first choice college. On my first day there, a new "friend"
told me that if I smoked meth, I wouldn't need to sleep. Soon, I started smoking meth
on a regular basis. I also went to class and partied a bit. But before I knew it, I was
going to a lot more parties than classes. At the end of the semester, my school
politely "invited me to leave" after I failed all my classes. The National Institute on
Drug Abuse says that over 1 million people used meth in the past year. My meth use
cost me an education. Or so I thought.

Chapter 3: After School

After my mother found drug paraphernalia in my room, my parents begged me to get
help. I refused, so they kicked me out. I ended up moving to the West Coast. I
couldn't keep a job due to my growing drug habit, so I ended up sleeping in public
parks. That was where I met my friend "Ricky."

Ricky taught me the ropes of living alone in the park. He told me about the best
places to sleep, how to avoid the cops and great places to panhandle. He looked out
for me, and I appreciated that.

Ricky's drug of choice was heroin. One day, we were getting high in the park when
Ricky nodded off. When he wouldn't respond when I shook him, I started screaming
and asking the passerby for help. It seemed like years before someone finally
stopped and helped us. It pained me, but I had to leave before the ambulance came
or I would have gotten arrested. I still feel bad about that to this day.

I got to the hospital where they took Ricky. When I asked about his condition, they
asked me how I knew him. I told the doctor that I was his sister. I could tell he didn't
believe me, but he took pity on me and told me that Ricky died before he got to the
hospital.

Then the doctor asked me if I needed help. That's when I broke down and cried. To
this day, I don't know what took hold of the doctor, but he offered to buy me a plane
ticket back home. At first, I said no. But he insisted, saying that he didn't want to see
me in the same position as Ricky, sleeping in a park and wasting my life. Finally, I
accepted his offer and went home to my parents.

Chapter 4: My Second Time at School

When I got home, my parents drove me straight to drug rehab. There, I stayed for
the next few weeks dealing with my issues once and for all. After rehab, I reapplied
to school and went back the following semester. My new major is psychology. I want
to become a psychologist and help people with addiction issues. The therapists at
my rehab center were so helpful and inspired that I want to give back to the
community in my small way.

My journey from college student to drug user back to college student was a tough
one. But it is a journey that anyone can travel. If I can do it, certainly anyone else
can, too. You can also do whatever it is that you want. The first thing you have to
do is get help for your problem. Once you do that, the sky is the limit.