we all have a certain idea of what drug addiction looks like drug addicts said
addiction looks like drug addicts said
addiction looks like drug addicts said the people you cross the street to avoid
the people you cross the street to avoid
the people you cross the street to avoid are the ones your parents told you not
are the ones your parents told you not
are the ones your parents told you not to talk to this image allows for
to talk to this image allows for
to talk to this image allows for ignorant ignorance towards the reality
ignorant ignorance towards the reality
ignorant ignorance towards the reality of our society the truth is drug addicts
of our society the truth is drug addicts
of our society the truth is drug addicts aren’t those people they’re those
aren’t those people they’re those
aren’t those people they’re those students snakes sitting next to you kids
students snakes sitting next to you kids
students snakes sitting next to you kids working your class and Friends laughing
working your class and Friends laughing
working your class and Friends laughing with you during lunch they’re the ones
with you during lunch they’re the ones
with you during lunch they’re the ones that you text at 11:45 for help on that
that you text at 11:45 for help on that
that you text at 11:45 for help on that one ap laying assignment are the ones
one ap laying assignment are the ones
one ap laying assignment are the ones that you high-five after that physics
that you high-five after that physics
that you high-five after that physics test because nothing you studied last
test because nothing you studied last
test because nothing you studied last night was on it drug addicts are people
night was on it drug addicts are people
night was on it drug addicts are people just like everyone else they’re brothers
just like everyone else they’re brothers
just like everyone else they’re brothers sisters sons and daughters they’re
sisters sons and daughters they’re
sisters sons and daughters they’re friends family teammates and peers
friends family teammates and peers
friends family teammates and peers people like me I’ve been struggling with
people like me I’ve been struggling with
people like me I’ve been struggling with substance use for about two years now
substance use for about two years now
substance use for about two years now starting in the summer before my
starting in the summer before my
starting in the summer before my freshman year at first I thought it was
freshman year at first I thought it was
freshman year at first I thought it was just experimentation I was just a teen
just experimentation I was just a teen
just experimentation I was just a teen that’s normal but I realized now that
that’s normal but I realized now that
that’s normal but I realized now that maybe it wasn’t just experimentation it
maybe it wasn’t just experimentation it
maybe it wasn’t just experimentation it most likely was a distraction or a
most likely was a distraction or a
most likely was a distraction or a coping mechanism oftentimes it wasn’t
coping mechanism oftentimes it wasn’t
coping mechanism oftentimes it wasn’t the hi that I was looking for I was
the hi that I was looking for I was
the hi that I was looking for I was looking for something anything to
looking for something anything to
looking for something anything to distract myself from my own thoughts
even after I would get caught this would
even after I would get caught this would happen over and over again but at first
happen over and over again but at first
happen over and over again but at first it was just fun it was something to do
it was just fun it was something to do
it was just fun it was something to do with my friends it wasn’t until I lost
with my friends it wasn’t until I lost
with my friends it wasn’t until I lost everything that was important to me that
everything that was important to me that
everything that was important to me that I realized and it wasn’t fun or at least
I realized and it wasn’t fun or at least
I realized and it wasn’t fun or at least not anymore but I still found myself
not anymore but I still found myself
not anymore but I still found myself going out of my way trying to find
going out of my way trying to find
going out of my way trying to find anything that I could get my hands on
anything that I could get my hands on
anything that I could get my hands on and getting high alone even after I
and getting high alone even after I
and getting high alone even after I would get caught the cycle would repeat
would get caught the cycle would repeat
would get caught the cycle would repeat over and over again
this is what my therapist describes as a
this is what my therapist describes as a key part of my substance use disorder
key part of my substance use disorder
key part of my substance use disorder I’m seemingly incapable of stopping
I’m seemingly incapable of stopping
I’m seemingly incapable of stopping regardless of the negative consequences
regardless of the negative consequences
regardless of the negative consequences and trust me there’s been plenty of
and trust me there’s been plenty of
and trust me there’s been plenty of consequences I’ve lost friends freedoms
consequences I’ve lost friends freedoms
consequences I’ve lost friends freedoms and I’ve hurt my family and my family
and I’ve hurt my family and my family
and I’ve hurt my family and my family will tell me that it needs to stop that
will tell me that it needs to stop that
will tell me that it needs to stop that it needs to be over now and they’ll ask
it needs to be over now and they’ll ask
it needs to be over now and they’ll ask me to promise this to them but I don’t
me to promise this to them but I don’t
me to promise this to them but I don’t want to make a promise that I don’t
want to make a promise that I don’t
want to make a promise that I don’t think I can keep or that I don’t know if
think I can keep or that I don’t know if
think I can keep or that I don’t know if I can keep because most days I do want
I can keep because most days I do want
I can keep because most days I do want to quit I do want to stop but then there
to quit I do want to stop but then there
to quit I do want to stop but then there are other days I’ll end up finding
are other days I’ll end up finding
are other days I’ll end up finding myself in a binge again and it’s not
myself in a binge again and it’s not
myself in a binge again and it’s not like there’s a stressor or some event
like there’s a stressor or some event
like there’s a stressor or some event that happens that causes me to go back
that happens that causes me to go back
that happens that causes me to go back it’s just a normal day that ends on
it’s just a normal day that ends on
it’s just a normal day that ends on another binge these binges will last
another binge these binges will last
another binge these binges will last until I get caught again or until I run
until I get caught again or until I run
until I get caught again or until I run out but even after that it’ll be a few
out but even after that it’ll be a few
out but even after that it’ll be a few months or a week or two until I find
months or a week or two until I find
months or a week or two until I find myself in another binge it’s extremely
myself in another binge it’s extremely
myself in another binge it’s extremely frustrating knowing that I’m hurting the
frustrating knowing that I’m hurting the
frustrating knowing that I’m hurting the ones that I care about but feeling
ones that I care about but feeling
ones that I care about but feeling incapable of stopping it’s a constant
incapable of stopping it’s a constant
incapable of stopping it’s a constant battle in my head between what I know is
battle in my head between what I know is
battle in my head between what I know is good for me and what isn’t my name is
good for me and what isn’t my name is
good for me and what isn’t my name is Piper I’m an AP and honourable student
Piper I’m an AP and honourable student
Piper I’m an AP and honourable student I’m a multi-sport athlete and I’m
I’m a multi-sport athlete and I’m
I’m a multi-sport athlete and I’m assistant at an art gallery I’m
assistant at an art gallery I’m
assistant at an art gallery I’m passionate about astronomy and physics
passionate about astronomy and physics
passionate about astronomy and physics and cooking but I’m also an addict now
and cooking but I’m also an addict now
and cooking but I’m also an addict now when people find out this part of me
when people find out this part of me
when people find out this part of me they’re often surprised I guess that’s
they’re often surprised I guess that’s
they’re often surprised I guess that’s because I don’t quite seem like the
because I don’t quite seem like the
because I don’t quite seem like the stereotypical addict
anyone can deal with substance use it
anyone can deal with substance use it doesn’t matter your gender your
doesn’t matter your gender your
doesn’t matter your gender your ethnicity your socioeconomic status
ethnicity your socioeconomic status
ethnicity your socioeconomic status where you are who you are where you grew
where you are who you are where you grew
where you are who you are where you grew up your religion what you believe in who
up your religion what you believe in who
up your religion what you believe in who your family is anyone can be affected by
your family is anyone can be affected by
your family is anyone can be affected by this so let me be very clear when I say
this so let me be very clear when I say
this so let me be very clear when I say this finally drug addiction does not
this finally drug addiction does not
this finally drug addiction does not exclude your demographic or anyone’s
exclude your demographic or anyone’s
exclude your demographic or anyone’s [Applause]
”
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