Three Terrible Incidents from the Perspective of an Addict
My Observations: The Last Three Joints
As I mentioned in the previous article, it’s been five years since I last used mind-altering substances. Prior to that, I was addicted to drugs for over ten years. During that time, I experienced many highs and lows. I felt what it was like to live in a daze and what it was like when I couldn’t get any drugs. I often observed the people around me who were also in an altered state. To this day, I believe that drugs affected me differently than others. I always managed to stay grounded and never completely lost myself. Somehow, I kept my mind intact, but this can’t be said for everyone.
The first case was a 17-year-old girl. This was the first time I encountered someone who absolutely shouldn’t use weed. — Of course, no one should use it, but that’s for everyone to decide for themselves. — I was new in the city after a move, and she was the first person I met. She invited me to a house party where, unsurprisingly, weed was present. Everything went smoothly at first: we lit it up and smoked. The usual dazed state followed, everyone was having a good time and laughing. A little later, the girl broke out in a cold sweat and her skin turned ghostly white. She covered her eyes with her hands and cried. Initially, she couldn’t explain, but eventually, she managed to tell us her problem. She claimed she couldn’t see the faces of anyone in the room. Every head appeared as a skull to her. She was inconsolable, which I completely understand. She didn’t want to look at anyone because of the fear of seeing that horror again. I can’t even imagine what she went through. Luckily, there was no lasting damage; once the effects wore off, all hallucinations disappeared. She never touched drugs again after that.
The second case involved a boy of similar age, but the story took place a few years later. We smoked a few joints in a park and were having fun. I was already quite experienced with weed. The effects couldn’t surprise me anymore; they were always roughly the same, and I knew how to handle them. Unfortunately, the boy wasn’t so lucky. He probably consumed too much, and as we moved from the cold outdoors to the warm bus, the effects suddenly hit him. He didn’t talk much during the ride, completely withdrawn into himself. Since he didn’t seem to be in any distress, we didn’t worry about him. Later, he told us that he was in hyperspace. He described it like traveling through hyperspace in Star Wars. Blue and white lights swirled around him as the bus entered light speed. Though it doesn’t seem as frightening as the first story, it’s not an experience I would want to have while heading home at night. The event left a deep mark on him, and he hasn’t smoked weed since.
The third case involved a young adult man, around 25 years old. I met him while I was recovering in a rehab center. On a side note, this is where I successfully rehabilitated. I hadn’t met the guy before, so I can only share what I observed while we were sober in the center. He only consumed weed. I don’t know how much time it took, but unfortunately, he lost his proper connection with reality. The psychiatric term for this illness is psychosis. In short, it means having delusions and hallucinations even when sober. He can’t discern what’s real and what isn’t. He’ll likely be on medication for the rest of his life to keep his mind from becoming confused again. He’s not the only one who developed such a condition. In rehab, it became clear that this is a particularly common illness among substance users. As for my observations: his gaze was constantly confused. There’s a saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In his eyes, it seemed like there was constant fear and desperation.
I’m glad I managed to avoid these outcomes.
Thank you for reading! Which experience do you think is the worst? I look forward to your thoughts!
