When I say the words, “I love an addict,” some people reading this can relate and understand everything I’m about to say. Others are lucky.

Addiction kills; the addict, physically and someone who loves an addict, in every other way. As someone who has grown up with addiction surrounding their life, let me just say, it is one of the worst things a person could possibly go through.

Loving an addict is so much worse than being an addict. When you love an addict, you feel everything they feel, as well as watching them kill themselves and losing someone you love. It gets to the point where you would rather have them dead because then you would know where they are and that they’re safe.

People with addiction aren’t the people they used to be. You hear, “Hate the addiction, not the addict”; but the addict… that isn’t the person I knew. How am I expected to love a stranger... A stranger that constantly hurts me.

They steal, lie and hurt the people they love just for that little fix. They will make up excuses for their problems and try to make it seem "not so bad."

The pothead says, “Well at least I don’t do heroin.” The heroin addict says, “Well at least I’m not an alcoholic.” The alcoholic says, “Well at least I don’t smoke meth.”

Every excuse and any excuse will do.

When they go out at night, you’re left with your phone, waiting for “the call.”

The call that changes your life forever.

“Ma’am, a body, believed to be your dad’s, was found in the street. Can you come identify it for us?”

“Sir, your sister was killed in a drunk driving accident.”

It’s the call you never want to get.

A big political frenzy lately has been the legalization of marijuana. Which personally, I don’t agree with at all.

So many people have this misconception that marijuana is non-addictive. Well, I can tell you first hand… That is completely false. Marijuana has the highest dependency rate in the U.S. I know quite a few people who struggle with a marijuana addiction. People will say, “Oh, a little pot won’t hurt.” Let me tell you a secret…. It does.

My entire family has been torn apart because of marijuana. Maybe not marijuana alone, but that’s where it starts. When you think it’s okay to do one drug, you suddenly think it’s okay to do more…

You think, “Well, addiction could never happen to me.’

And guess what? It does.

Addiction comes in so many forms: nicotine, drugs, alcohol, pills… The number one addiction in this world is heroin: followed by alcohol, cocaine, barbiturates and nicotine. Though, anything can become addicting.

I have so many personal experiences with addiction. So let’s just start from the beginning. When I was younger, about kindergarten, I’d lose my teeth, so naturally, the tooth fairy would come and bring me money. Usually anywhere from a dollar to three. After losing my tooth, the next morning I woke up so excited to get my money. I reached under my pillow and my money wasn’t there. I was so sad because my tooth was gone too. I went downstairs for breakfast and my mom goes, “What’s wrong, Rocky?” and I told her that the tooth fairy didn’t come. She looked really confused and then would get really mad. I didn’t know what was happening, but my mom reached into her purse and gave me two dollars. She told me that the tooth fairy must’ve forgotten. Later that day I was running around the house and heard my parents fighting like they always did. Then I heard my mom say, “You seriously had to take her money?! Seriously?!”

When I found out that my dad stole from me, it broke my heart. Addiction affects kids so much more than people realize. Kids might not know what it is, but they do pay attention.

When I was in first grade, some social workers came and talked to me. They asked if my parents smoked. I replied, “Yep. Mommy smokes cigarettes, and Daddy smokes a pipe.”

Me. A first grader. Knew what a pipe was, luckily, I didn’t know what was in that pipe. My dad has been trying to quit for years and has finally gone through rehab. As pleased with that as I am, nothing is ever going to mend those wounds, and our family will never be the same.

Drugs destroyed my family.

Growing up, everyone I knew smoked cigarettes; so for me, it was a social norm. I think a lot of people accept nicotine and cigarettes as something that isn’t a big deal, so they forget how dangerous it actually is. Cancers, black lungs, a damaged voice, these are only a few things that tobacco use can cause. Tobacco causes more death each year than all of the substance deaths combined.

When I was about four my parents got divorced. My mom remarried a year and a half later. I thought my step dad was the coolest person alive. We played and laughed all the time. Things were good… Things were simple; but within weeks, everything changed.

My step dad became an alcoholic.

His gentle touch and sweet words became a hard push into the wall and slanderous screams. At this time I was in fourth grade. I remember running away to my grandma’s house, which was five miles away from my house, after school, just because I was too scared to go home.

The drinking just got worse throughout the years. He had a “guy’s night” where he and his friends would get together and drink. It was all fun and games until one night… someone drank a little too much…. And I was sexually abused. An innocent 10-year-old girl was destroyed forever because someone’s addiction was more important than her future.

I had to grow up a lot sooner than I should’ve had to because I needed to protect my younger brother from everything I had to endure.

Every single day we watch our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and friends just waste themselves away.

Often times, we let ourselves fall victim to these addictions; but if I’ve learned anything throughout my life, it is to never be the victim.

When it comes to addiction, the only thing you need to know is how to say, “No.”

We all are addicted to something that helps take the pain away, but it doesn’t really take away the pain… It gives it to someone else.

So before you think about taking that drag, that hit, that shot… Think about how this will affect you and everyone in your life. Think about all of the things you’re going to miss out on. Think of the people you’re going to hurt.

Think about your daughter that you’re going to leave behind one day. You let go while she holds on. Think about her bawling in her room every night… because she thinks your addiction is her fault. Think about all the suicide letters she’ll write… you know she just isn’t strong enough to hold on anymore.

Think about someone other than yourself. Addiction is selfish and cruel.