by Holle Abee

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: August 10, 2008

Addiction is a terrible disease. Because of an addict's body chemistry, he can't just have a drink now and then or use recreational drugs only at the occasional party. He "gets hooked" and has to have a constant supply of the abusive substance and will often do almost anything to satisfy his need.

Case in point: My daughter, Shannon, and her best friend, Kim. Kim was a beautiful girl, with long blonde hair, big blue eyes, a gorgeous smile, and a great body. She was outgoing, smart, and a lot of fun. The girls became best frinds in junior high, and it seemed as if they would have a wonderful future.

After high school, they got jobs at the same place and rented a nice house together. As teenagers living on their own, they hosted many parties, eventually attracting some unsavory characters. An attractive, wealthy older guy introduced both girls to cocaine.

Both girls enjoyed the experience, but Shannon was content to just snort the drug at parties. Kim, however, began to crave more and more of the drug and finally switched to crack to achieve a more intense high.

Shannon became alarmed at her friend's drug abuse and tried everything she could think of to help Kim realize her problem. The experience scared Shannon so badly that she totally avoided drugs of any kind, afraid she might follow in Kim's footsteps.

As Kim began to spend all her money on crack, she could no longer afford her half of the rent, so the girls parted company. Shannon still loved Kim, so they kept in touch, but the friends were definitely taking two very different directions. Shannon enrolled in nursing school, while Kim began selling her body on the south side of town to acquire crack.

Once Kim totally "bottomed out," she finally sought help. She placed herself in a rehab center because she wanted to change her life and get back on the right track. She stayed for several months.

I saw her when she got out, and she looked great. She had gone in weighing 85 pounds and came out weighing a normal 120. She was so happy, believing she had finally kicked her addiction. Unfortunately, this was not to last. She soon returned to her old habit, thinking she could just smoke crack once in a while without it controlling her life. She was wrong, of course.

Kim has been in and out of rehab centers more times than I can count. During one of her "clean periods," she married a nice guy and they had a beautiful daughter together. But her return to crack cost her her husband and her child.

A later straight period found

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