This is such a (ridiculous) common theme I see on threads online all the time.

“They did this to themselves.” “Why would anyone do heroin or crack, that’s so stupid.” Or much worse like “They made the choice, let them all die. It’s natural selection.” Yes, I’ve seen that or similar plenty of times. You probably have too.

I have so many responses to this ignorance, though frankly it depends on my mood if I feel like trying to explain. I don’t get angry, because if you haven’t seen firsthand the hell addiction is, and known an addict both in active addiction and in recovery, you really can’t understand. And by “know”, I mean being really close and having open, judgement free conversations to try to figure out the mindset one is in, and the actual brain disorder that causes addiction. Because make no mistake, it’s a fucking brain disorder.

If you aren’t able to see that, you probably:

A: Can’t read because this has been scientifically proven

B: Don’t know an addict like the back of your hand

C: Are biased due to negative behaviors associated with a person in active addiction

Perhaps I am coming across harshly. Good. It’s a harsh, relentless, disease that never allows some rest. It haunts them day and night. Their mind never stops, they can’t feel happiness because drugs have told their brains that they are the only way to peace. People lose it all. I mean, everything. Not only all material possessions, but the people they love most. Activities they enjoy. Being able to feel anything besides a thirst that is never quite quenched. Addiction sucks the life out of you, quite literally for many.

So I challenge you with this question; who the fuck would “choose” that life? I know hundreds of people that are addicts now, currently using and in recovery. Of the hundreds, I know of one person who started off using heroin. One. And this person was very broken already, like many addicts, from a life of horrible abuse. Most addicts have underlying mental health disorders that were either missed altogether, misdiagnosed, or otherwise not medically treated properly.

How many of us have tried a drug, if not illegally during the formative (really stupid) years, than how many have been prescribed something physically addictive at some point in life? Who has tasted alcohol? I’d bet every person reading this. And to you I say, you are no better simply because you could stop. You are a lucky one who doesn’t have the perfect recipe for addiction. You are just a person who doesn’t have a predisposed brain chemistry to become sucked into that terrible nightmare of a life. You aren’t stronger. You aren’t smarter. You made a choice too, it just ended differently.

You rolled the dice and walked away unscathed. Others rolled a thirteen…

Choice my ass.