| There was every reason to believe that Bob was | | | | received treatment for his addiction. He would wash |
| going to do well in life. He had a creative intelligence | | | | down his medication with alcohol. He was in complete |
| and an organized approach to his profession that | | | | denial. When asked how he was, his stock answer |
| enabled him to put together teams of people for his | | | | was always, "I'm going great." When a friend would |
| projects, and those projects were clearly high quality. | | | | express concern for him, Bob would always answer |
| He had been valedictorian of his university class, and | | | | "I'm fine, why are you asking me this?" |
| while others were dreaming of their "dream" job, Bob | | | | His behavior became bizarre, as he would get on his |
| was already sailing along. | | | | cell phone and call friends around the country late at |
| As successful as he was, there was something | | | | night from the local tavern. He would plan lavish |
| smoldering under the surface and soon Bob's life | | | | projects and try to pull everybody he knew into the |
| began to unravel. When he was in college, his | | | | plan. There was never any rhythm or reason to the |
| reputation for academic and professional excellence | | | | plans, which were devised out of a drug-induced |
| was topped only by his love for drinking and smoking | | | | haze. |
| pot. If there was a party, there was Bob. Once out | | | | He would never find work in his profession again, but |
| of college and with his dream job already realized, his | | | | did find employment working on a loading dock. As |
| social life changed. It's like he never moved on. People | | | | he aged, he struggled and could not keep up with |
| get out of school, get a job, maybe settle down and | | | | younger workers. He was injured one afternoon while |
| get married, but Bob did not go that way. He did his | | | | toting a heavy bag and could not work again. He |
| job by day, then after work, it's was like he was | | | | went on disability. He rationalized his situation by |
| back in his college days. | | | | saying, |
| The excessive use of alcohol and marijuana | | | | "This is the best time of my life. I can do what I |
| continued, but he began using other illegal substances. | | | | want now." |
| His job was not affected at first, and a couple of | | | | He lost his house, his car and was left with very little. |
| years after college, Bob got married. It didn't last | | | | Still, he denied any addiction. He lived alone, isolated |
| long. She got the house, all of the furnishings and | | | | from his old friends, without any new friends. His |
| support payments after the divorce. Bob had a | | | | friends all encouraged him to seek treatment, but he |
| nervous breakdown. | | | | was fine, nothing wrong. There was no family to look |
| His life came apart. Once the "golden boy" of his | | | | after him. |
| class, Bob soon found himself unemployed. He talked | | | | Even with an abundance of friends and family to |
| about the politics in his profession, how there weren't | | | | support the addict, their denial of the situation can |
| any good jobs out there, and always talked about | | | | prevent treatment. When someone is lone and |
| the "good old days." Bob had a close relationship with | | | | isolated, there is little that can be done to help. Bob's |
| his parents, but both died within two years of each | | | | story is repeated so many times, every day, in |
| other. He had a brother, but after the death of his | | | | every city and state. Addiction robs people of their |
| parents, they drifted apart. They were not close to | | | | potential, their successes and their humanity. What |
| begin with. His drug and alcohol use became the | | | | might have been, what should have been, all too |
| center of his life. | | | | often has been swallowed, leaving only a crushed |
| He received medication for depression, but never | | | | spirit behind. |