The personal stories on this page were written by people around the world who have gone through drug addiction. By sharing their stories we hope they will help others. If you wish to contribute a story about your own experience then please click here.

Nothing anyone can do until the addict seeks help - I am a recovering addict. I have been clean for almost two years. From my experience and knowing many other recovering addicts, there is nothing anyone can do until the addict seeks help. I participate in my recovery by going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings, taking the 12 steps with a sponser and attending meetings and being of service to the fellowship. People get and stay clean many different ways and I am glad for them. This way works for me. Good luck and god bless.

I felt good about myself when I finally became clean - I am 20 years old in college. I hung around the wrong crowd in high school. I used to smoke a lot of pot everyday, cocaine, and taking pain pills. I thought all of this was going to relief my problems, but it only got worse. I thought I was never going to get off. I always wanted to do more when things got to me. The person that helped me out through everything is my brother. He stuck right by my side. Everyone kept saying, "you can get off of it if you want to," but they really dont understand. Everytime someone kept saying something about me and my drug problem I would just do more everyday. When my brother finally got me help the new life was different. It was hard making friends that didn't do drugs, because they look at you like you are a drug addict. I felt good about myself when I finally became clean. Living this new life feels good and my self-esteem is better!!

I wish I never started - My name is Jessica. I am a 17 year old female and I used to be a drug addict. I started using it at the age of 14 and it just got worse. I thought it was cool when I first tried it and then I did it again thinking I was not gonna be addicted to it. I started out with smoking pot and I started taking prescription pain killers then it got worse when I got hooked on cocaine. I went 5 days straight without sleeping and eating just a little bit while I was doing cocaine. I got really sick. I was depressed when I came down and wanted more. I decided then that I had to stop, I had lost everything, my boyfriend, I quit my job and I dropped out of school. I went clean for about a month but then started using again. I am still using it, but only once in a while. I wish I could just quit but I can't it's hard, very hard. I am doing a lot better now. I have not used since last month and maybe I won't touch it again. I am trying my best and I wake up every morning wondering if I am gonna use today and at night when I come home and get ready for bed and haven't used it I feel sooo good about myself. Please don't ever use drugs, it's not worth it. I wish I never started.

They weren't really good friends - My name is James and I am 16 and live in Sydney, Australia. I would firstly like to congratulate you on the web page, as well as shedding some light on the battle against drugs. Nine months ago my best friend went into drug rehabilitation, he was using everything except heroin. Everything from pot to pills to cocaine. He was a mess, but I still tried to support him. I too used to smoke pot and snort with him, however I have not done drugs since the 19th of April this year. I remember this date because it is the day my life changed. I know my life is better now but I feel sad, I miss my mate Chris. I wish I helped him more than I did. On Thursday last week I visited his house to wish his parents a Happy Christmas. They told me to get lost and they never wanted to see me again and that Chris still thinks about drugs. That hurt me, I cried. I felt like smoking pot or getting some speed. But I knew I must never touch it again. I cannot remember who said it but it was in a movie "One hit is too much, but a thousand will never be enough." Every person should be open to their parents and peers. The only person that should judge us is god (and I'm not religious) parents should support us, and if they have any suspicion they should be open enough to confront their child in a friendly way. Chris and I did not receive this treatment, this is why Chris, and nearly me too, went down the wrong path and got stuck down there. Today all of my friends still do drugs. I am not as good a friend as I used to be with them, but it makes me wonder why I was really friends with them. Was it because they respected me and like me as a person or was it because I could help them out with drugs sometimes? I think it is the latter. I don't know why I wrote here. I still miss Chris but it was good to get it off my back. When I tell people of my depression and desire for more drugs they say they don't care.

Changing friends is essential to quitting and staying off drugs - Hi, my name is Jay and I am also a drug addict. I live in America and I am 22 years old. I can relate to your struggles, drug addiction is a terrible affliction. I have used all kinds of drugs. Amphetamines, cocaine, opium, heroin, various opiate pain killers that are prescribed by doctors, pot, acid, mushrooms, ecstasy, muscle relaxers, tranquilizers, and methadone. I am currently maintained on a dose of daily methadone in the amount of 110mgs. I started using drugs in school at the age of 13. My drug of choice is heroin. I am a college student and I currently live with my parents. The only way I found to quit was to seek help from a treatment center. Also Narcotics Anonymous is free and quite helpful. It is almost impossible for a drug addict to quit on their own without help. You can stop the madness of addiction, but it takes time and effort. Your mind and body have to heal. Changing friends is essential to quitting and staying off drugs. Do a search for Narcotics Anonymous meetings on the internet and you will find some in your area. There are meetings all over the world, in almost every city, everyday and almost every hour. You will find the support you need in early recovery. Also there are online meetings if you prefer to start out that way. Getting honest with your family is a good start. I know when you are strunt out hope is almost nonexistent, but believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck my friend, and I hope you make it.

Please share with us your own personal struggle against drug addiction. You never know, your story could help others.