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Sharing my addiction story in a classroom setting, yes or no?

E

ErikTheRed

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
193
Location
San Francisco, CA
So I'm now a senior at college, and will be graduating at the end of the upcoming fall semester. And I started to get hooked on opiates the summer after my freshman year and become a total heroin addict halfway through my 2nd year. However, I was more or less a functional addict. I would wake up sick, do my first shot of the day, go to class and did fine academically speaking. I kept my addiction very secret, my roommate didn't know. I even hid it from my girlfriend. Eventually, money started to dwindle and I got on Suboxone near the end of my 2nd year. Once I got on Suboxone I started to finally process the emotional tolls of my heroin abuse and why I got hooked in the first place.

Fast forward about two years, I'm now in a class where I'm expected to write about a major obstacle that I've overcome. I'm considering writing my addiction story. I think it could be very cathartic for me, yet I also have to share my story with a class of 20+ people. The class is composed of a very mature, thoughtful and compassionate group of students, but I'm wary of being labelled as an addict and my classmates getting a bad impression of me. Everyone will be sharing their own difficult life experiences or 'threshold crossings', but I highly doubt there will be any other addiction stories. What do you all think? Are there any possible consequences I'm overlooking? Thanks for reading.
 
I think sharing your story on addiction would be good for you. Unless you REALLY care what the other classmates think then there shouldn't be anything holding you back. Any mature adult would think that sharing that chapter of your life is a very brave thing of you to do. If I was in your position, I would do it. Hell I'm in high school and if it comes up I'll be fine with talking about my struggle with addiction.

What it comes down to is it doesn't really matter (if by chance) your classmates think less of you, it's a part of who you are, you can't change it because it already happened, and if anything they should be proud of you.
 
I wouldnt do it you never know when you may have to have contact with those people later in life. But I think it also depends on your major if your going to be a drug abuse counselor then hell yeah share but if your in business then hell no. Heroin is so stigmatized that some people will never ever see you the same.
 
I am voting yes! The more we break down the stereotypes surrounding addiction, the better. Addiction stigmatizes families (especially parents) along with the addicted person. I have found that the more that I talk about addiction and the other taboo subject full of stereotypes and assumptions and shame, mental illness, the more educated the people around me become. Sure, it takes courage and vulnerability and there may be a few bad consequences but overall I find that the more I face everything in my life with honesty and a refusal to feel shame, the easier it gets in my world. I am a teacher in an elementary school. I have done more through sharing my family's struggles with addiction in the teachers break room than I could ever have imagined. Not only that but my sharing has made it possible for others to come forward. One of the teachers I know (at another school) actually came forward and said, "I have never dared talk about this in a professional setting but I was a crack cocaine addict for over 10 years". Blew my mind and showed me that even I carry stereotypes deep within. So, sharing also helps us to confront our own thinking and to learn and grow.

One of the things that my brother did when he got out of jail and applied for his first job with 2 drug felonies to his name, was to look the interviewer in the eye and say, "I am going to beat you to my background check. I was a crack addict for 15 years. I have been in recovery for a year. I can tell you that if you take a chance on me you will not regret it." He told a short version of his story, neither apologizing nor glorifying--just laid it out. The guy was impressed enough with his honesty and integrity that he hired him and this was for an electrician's job in a tight job market. My brother kept his promise and the guy definitely had his thinking expanded. Win/win situation.

You will have to decide for yourself whether telling your story will feel too vulnerable or not but I think you will be surprised at the empowerment that you gain internally by doing so. You cannot ever control what other people think of you but you can influence that much more in how you think of yourself. If you present your addiction (or anything else that is stigmatized in our society) with the feeling that it makes you a lesser person then you will reinforce that stereotype. But if you present yourself without apology or shame, seeing your addiction and recovery as something to actually value in yourself as the great teacher that it can be, then you will not only empower yourself but help to move our culture forward.

Whatever you choose to do, feel good about yourself. Life is choices, decisions and acceptance of our decisions and then more choices!:)
 
Personally I wouldn't share it with them. If you don't particularly care about the possibility of burning future bridges for career advancement it probably isn't a big deal. In my experience even people who are educated and compassionate can hold very negative views towards those who have had drug problems, specifically heroin.

I wouldnt do it you never know when you may have to have contact with those people later in life. But I think it also depends on your major if your going to be a drug abuse counselor then hell yeah share but if your in business then hell no. Heroin is so stigmatized that some people will never ever see you the same.
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This is true.
 
being an obvious addict in high school turned out very bad for me but i was actively using you may find it good to have people know you were strong enough to stop using
 
If youre willing to deal with the stigma forever, and people looking at you different no matter how mature & understanding you thought they were?

Go for it.

Shit i've done it with a lot of people. But just be prepared for all of that. Don't act shocked when the people you "thought were understanding and compassionate and mature" suddenly turn out to be immature, judgmental assholes, who look at you and see nothing but a junkie.

That stuff honestly doesn't bother me too much. But then again I haven't exactly announced it to the world and random strangers either. Just people who know I had a drug problem already, meaning that they see an improvement at best, and the same identical junkie at worse (meaning I actually did not put myself in an worse of a position).

Better qusetion is: why do you feel the need to enlighten random strangers about your personal business? As someone in recovery you should know better than anyone to examine your motives. If your motives are right, and you dont mind catching all that flak, I say go for it.
 
you might be surprised by both how many people have similar stories as yours but also by the people who have similar stories as you but unlike you don't share them. When they hear your story you might reach them, and help them in a deep and meaningful way.
 
I wouldn't do it.

In my experience, people are more willing to listen to people individually (like the example herbavore gave with the interview). In a classroom setting, that whole "mob mentality"' thing could kick in and people are going to be less likely to approve of you in front of the group out of fear of what the group would then think of them if they did.

If you do it, you'd be doing it for yourself only. You don't strip on a nude beach so that others can see you naked, all that stuff ;)
 
Thanks for all the responses, you've all helped me see this decision from a new perspective. I'm still on the fence, but leaning towards keeping my story private. In an ideal world I'd be able to tell my story without ramifications.

One possibility is that I could tone down my addiction story, leaving out the IV heroin aspect, and replacing it with an Oxycodone addiction. I think that would still capture the magnitude of my ordeal, but without having to worry so much about the huge stigma regarding IV heroin. I'd like my story to act as a cautionary tale to my fellow students. I also have to wonder if this could get me in trouble with the university, despite being clean now.
 
herbavore said:
I am voting yes! The more we break down the stereotypes surrounding addiction, the better. Addiction stigmatizes families (especially parents) along with the addicted person. I have found that the more that I talk about addiction and the other taboo subject full of stereotypes and assumptions and shame, mental illness, the more educated the people around me become. Sure, it takes courage and vulnerability and there may be a few bad consequences but overall I find that the more I face everything in my life with honesty and a refusal to feel shame, the easier it gets in my world. I am a teacher in an elementary school. I have done more through sharing my family's struggles with addiction in the teachers break room than I could ever have imagined. Not only that but my sharing has made it possible for others to come forward. One of the teachers I know (at another school) actually came forward and said, "I have never dared talk about this in a professional setting but I was a crack cocaine addict for over 10 years". Blew my mind and showed me that even I carry stereotypes deep within. So, sharing also helps us to confront our own thinking and to learn and grow.

One of the things that my brother did when he got out of jail and applied for his first job with 2 drug felonies to his name, was to look the interviewer in the eye and say, "I am going to beat you to my background check. I was a crack addict for 15 years. I have been in recovery for a year. I can tell you that if you take a chance on me you will not regret it." He told a short version of his story, neither apologizing nor glorifying--just laid it out. The guy was impressed enough with his honesty and integrity that he hired him and this was for an electrician's job in a tight job market. My brother kept his promise and the guy definitely had his thinking expanded. Win/win situation.

You will have to decide for yourself whether telling your story will feel too vulnerable or not but I think you will be surprised at the empowerment that you gain internally by doing so. You cannot ever control what other people think of you but you can influence that much more in how you think of yourself. If you present your addiction (or anything else that is stigmatized in our society) with the feeling that it makes you a lesser person then you will reinforce that stereotype. But if you present yourself without apology or shame, seeing your addiction and recovery as something to actually value in yourself as the great teacher that it can be, then you will not only empower yourself but help to move our culture forward.

Whatever you choose to do, feel good about yourself. Life is choices, decisions and acceptance of our decisions and then more choices!:)
Click to expand...

I love this herby :) it's so true, I think it would be positive for you, it is important for people to learn the truths about addiction. Reading stories such as your own has changed that for me :)
 
I think this is a fantastic idea; What kind of superficial nonsense can you expect from a group of other college-aged people. Your story is one of transcendence and success in the face of a behemoth of an obstacle: opiate addiction.

For someone like me, who couldn't juggle addiction and maintaining a successful academic career in a well known university here in L.A., I would find a story like yours to be inspirational to people who may be carrying a deep, dark secret.
 
An update: I've decided to take a risk and tell my story, which I'm currently writing, but tone it down a little. I was an oxycodone addict before heroin. So I'm going to talk about my ordeal with oxy instead of IV dope. I think this will capture the essence of my story, while being able to avoid the stigma of heroin and needles.
 
I'm really glad to hear that. Courage changes the world, make no mistake about it. I admire both your courage and the thought you are giving it. The world never changes unless someone changes it. Thank you. I hope that it turns out very well for you and please don't leave us hanging--we'll need to know how it was received! :)<3<3
 
ErikTheRed said:
An update: I've decided to take a risk and tell my story, which I'm currently writing, but tone it down a little. I was an oxycodone addict before heroin. So I'm going to talk about my ordeal with oxy instead of IV dope. I think this will capture the essence of my story, while being able to avoid the stigma of heroin and needles.
Click to expand...

Sounds good, and as herbavore said, keep us updated.
 
Are there obstacles and/or adversity connected to your use? Things driving it? Those could be good to talk about, particularly if you faced them in recovery, that way the addiction won't seem compartmentalized, a thing unto itself.
 
mrflowers00 said:
being an obvious addict in high school turned out very bad for me but i was actively using you may find it good to have people know you were strong enough to stop using
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same story here and everyone at school knew me because i was a hot topic to discuss, literally everyone at school knew who i was because of all the gossip. I can imagine that this would have been tenfold if i had been known for iv use, unless you are planning on not ever seeing these people again or dont care what kind of reputation you have i would say dont do it and if you absolutely have to, say you snort your dope at least. I graduated in 2007 and everyone and their mother still remembers me for my habit. but this is just m/o m/e
 
^ Plus that was high school, right? I think things are, thankfully, very different in upper division classes at University. Reputations in high school can ruin your life but after high school, unless you live in a small community they are rarely as powerful.
 
I think an argument can be made either way. Depending on your major You could be setting yourself up for problems later. In a competitive business environment, law, medicine, government or media, any weakness or knowledge of compromising info can be used as a wedge or tool against you, and you may not even know it. It's smart to leave out the dope and stick with pills. I agree it will be cathartic. College is the place to do that, you are free. Good luck.
 
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