Pubdate: Tue, 09 Sep 2008
Source: Kearney Hub, The (NE)
Copyright: 2008 Kearney Hub Publishing Company
Contact: http://hub.kearneyhub.com/forms/letter-editor.htm
Website: http://www.kearneyhub.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3820
Author: Roger Mattson

SEEDS OF ADDICTION PLANTED EARLY

I was watching government officials on the news the other day when the
war on drugs came up. All of those guys snickered. They laughed and
said the United States has spent enough on the drug war to buy all the
poppy fields in the world and burn them.

But they don't want to do that because it would stop the flow of
money. They said the United States has to always have a war on something.

When children are brought up in homes where drug and alcohol abuse is
happening, they believe such behavior is normal. I'm not saying their
parents are bad because many of them were brought up in the same
environment. It plants a seed in a very young in life.

When a tree is fully grown, you can't just pluck it out and plant
another. Change is hard, but it can be done if the person wants it
badly enough.

Sometimes it's too late. I have watched interventions. Some of the
people targeted by the interventions are great manipulators. Most
addicts have their families wrapped around their finger.

Addiction destroys the addict and the family.

I can remember when I was addicted, making my family feel guilty, even
friends, for that matter. I didn't have what I needed to get through
the day, but once I secured what I needed, I was fine.

I can't count the guilt trips I put on people. I regret today that I
used their love against them.

I just wish I could have kicked my addiction sooner. Today I have more
friends than I ever had then. I'm grateful how God brings different
people into your life. I see the world through a new set of eyes and
feel it through a changed heart and soul.

I believe these are gifts only God can give if he thinks you are ready
to accept them.

ROGER MATTSON
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