What Would Be Your First Impression of Someone if They Told You They Were in Recovery for Addiction?

Question by The Dude: What would be your first impression of someone if they told you they were in recovery for addiction?
I was recently at a drug rehab hospital for heroine addiction and I asked some visiting nursing students that were sitting in on a group session this question and they all sort of side stepped it. Do you think they were afraid to admit that the general public looks at us as lying, cheating, stealing, homeless scum of the earth and a plague on the medical world when we ask for help or take up valuable hospital space.

Do people think that way about addicts in general?

Do people really look down on us for having this horrible affliction?

I’m serious here, so please tell me your true feelings about those who are trying to get better.

Best answer:

Answer by Shibi
I think that generally people feel bad for the addict and do not want to discuss it directly. It’s a hard thing to confront: being an addict or dealing with addictive personalities. Especially because the root of the addition is the essence of the issue: be it a personality thing, a chemical imbalance of the addict, an environmental thing, or whatever. Addicts have to overcome their personal demons and for “people in general” dealing with their own demons or the demons of others in a direct conversation with a virtual stranger can be uncomfortable. IMHO. good luck to you.

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