Hello Josh, I am now 43 years old, and was a heroin addict for 15 years. However, I was a fairly functional addict in the sense that I never lost a job, never became unemployed, always paid my own habit, and never became homeless.

But as a disclaimer I would like to add that not for a single second did I ever think this half-assed feeling of relative control made me a smidgen better than any other person in the same situation as me.

Essentially I had a very vanilla style addiction, which I am thankful that I was able to manage relatively well. However I was, over the years told by many friends and lovers, that I should stop. But, of course I never did.

And, truth be told, I only stopped in 2015, when I myself, for various reasons realized that my addiction was no longer tenable with the objectives and goals I have for my life.

I haven’t even reached the end of your article, but realize that you are an incredibly insightful man, and thank you for your contribution to the World At Large in publishing this article.

These days, free, clean and sober by my own efforts over the past 5 years , I have found a renewed passion for life.

For the first time ever in 15 years, I was able to pursue my primary and most important passion: music and literary writing, which simply did not hold hands with my addiction.

The most important people in my life, and my greatest creative Passions were always put on the back burner in favor of my poison of choice.

Thank you for so humbly reminding me of something that took a very, very long time to realize. You are a good, good man.