I am a mom who didn’t know anything about addiction when I discovered my adult son, David, was addicted to heroin. This was in late 1999. Getting help and learning how to cope with an addicted son was demanding and emotionally draining. I had to quickly gain an understanding of the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of addiction. I also had to learn how to cope with the shame and stigma addiction brings. Addiction kept David in its grip for 15 years and then took him completely in 2014. I worked on this book for four years to present a fair and true assessment of my experiences with David’s addiction and death so others might benefit and avoid his fate.
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I learned after my son’s death how important it was for him to be a published author. Part 2 of the book includes his writings and reflects his personal battle with addiction. As a thoughtful storyteller and poet, David's words take the reader inside the mindset of an addict. I am hopeful my experiences and mistakes and his words will help readers better understand the life-altering aspects of addiction.