Personal Experience of Substance Abuse and Healing

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Almost twenty years ago, one ten-year-old child watched a drunk relative who had issues with alcohol abuse and promised himself never to become addicted to any substances. I believed that my adherence to a healthy lifestyle, ambitions to make a great career, and optimism signify that I will never become a victim of addiction. I have also believed that substance abuse is a deliberate choice because it is only up to an individual to decide whether to use drugs or go on a path of alcohol abuse. However, as a proverb says, the tongue of experience utters the most truth. In my case, this truth was as bitter as the taste of Xanax pills. The present paper reflects my healing path and explains why I have decided to dedicate my life to working in the sphere of alcohol and drug counseling.

Since my teenage period, I have been suffering from horrible anxiety. Unpredictable panic attacks accompanied by shortness of breath, shaking, and numbness tormented me for several years until my primary care physician prescribed me the most prominent medication to treat panic disorders called Xanax. Xanax was a blessing because it took away all my worries and granted me a chance to enjoy life. Gradually, panic attacks remained a relic of the past. However, the new chapter of life was not as bright as one could imagine.

When the physician prescribed me Xanax, he did not inform me how easy it is to become addicted. Abuse of this medicine made me experience most of the side effects mentioned in the instruction for its use. First time I thought that insomnia, irritability, and tiredness resulted from a large academic load at the university. Indeed, who among the students did not get tired of the constant deadlines, exams, presentations, and tests? Stuffy nose and headaches also did not make me think that something was going wrong because these side effects resemble the common cold symptoms.

Still, as time went by, new side effects appeared. My vision had become blurred, I had difficulties with coordination, and my speech had become more slurred. Later, the physician confirmed that these were the symptoms of Xanax abuse. It was challenging to admit that the reason for all these troubles lied in Xanax because it was a medication that had enfreed me from anxiety. Prior to this moment, I imagined a person who suffers from substance abuse as a raging alcoholic or narcomaniac but not as an average student who has excellent grades, big plans for the future, and a great desire to live.

The road to recovery was a thorny one. I was prescribed Lexapro to alleviate some of the side effects along with anxiety, but it took about a month for this medication to start having an effect. The entire process of healing from addiction to Xanax took half a year. This experience taught me that pills are not the only way to tackle the panic disorder. I forced myself to work out every morning and attended counseling because these two measures assist in relieving anxiety and stress and serve as an effective alternative to addictive medicines.

The personal experience of substance abuse was edifying and brought numerous valuable insights. When my addiction to Xanax was over, I have decided to dedicate my life to helping other people, including friends and family members, who suffer from substance abuse problems. The most crucial part of fighting any addiction lies in comprehending the fact that drugs, alcohol, or medicines cannot rule ones life. The experience also made me understand that it might be emotionally challenging to admit personal addiction, especially when obsession came as a side effect. Nonetheless, I am proud that this episode of Xanax abuse stays in the past and willing to share my knowledge with the suffering people who are now in the same pernicious situation as I was a few years ago.

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