March 27, 2023 marked 16 years since I’ve been clean from drugs. Meth was my choice drug.
I look back at where I was when I was using and realize just how much I have accomplished. I was literally homeless and wasted. I was in and out of trouble, I stole, was very violent and pretty much could care less who I hurt, even my loved ones.
It literally consumed me and destroyed my life. I had no job, car or even a driver’s license.
All that is just a very small part. I was so high for so long, I didn’t even go say goodbye to my dad who was battling cancer and ultimately lost his battle, a regret I face daily.
Now, I look around and I see just how worse things have become in our community. More and more dangerous drugs are consuming many people and worse yet, our kids. We need to stop making these issues political and start working together as to how we can solve it.
We live in a society today that causes hopelessness and defeat, but if we all just put our political disagreements aside and brainstorm together, we can make a difference.
I know that what helped me was some tough love to get me pushed toward the right direction. Once I got to the right place, it was loving volunteers and help with overcoming my traumas and stinkin’ thinkin’.
I found God, but I know it could be something different for others. It boils down to stop enabling, apply tough love and a push in the right direction. I can honestly say it’s a hard fight but we’re worth seeing what we are capable of instead of being a druggie.
Today, I have a great job, all my kids, and many supportive coworkers and friends. I do my best to help other addicts find their motivation and inspiration to strive for better. If we, as a community, can come together to help find ideas which could make a positive impact in helping an addict who wants the help, which there are many who do, we would have the best community ever. Enabling never helps. It only makes it worse and harder to fix. We have a great county with awesome people who want better. For our children, let’s find a solution to the drug crisis that is rampant.
I love our community no matter what our differences may be. And we have a community worth fighting for to make a difference.
Dawn Miles,
Chehalis
