(ATDN) Substance Use and Abuse


(ATDN) Substance Use and Abuse

Treatment Review No. 10; March 1994
Richard Haynes

My name is Richard Haynes. I am currently a part of the Network. I started using drugs at a very young age. The use of drugs started me on a life of stealing and in and out of prison. Half of my life has been spent in prison. Just before I went to prison the last time I was homeless and a heavy drug user. When I went into prison my sister was murdered brutally in 1988. It was also then that I really realized how serious the disease AIDS is and that my mother had it. I had a lot of anger in me and I decided to turn it into something positive. I started going to school using my anger and turning it into positive energy. I finally received my Degree in Liberal Arts. It was definitely the happiest day of my life. I had finally completed something and my mother was right there by my side.

During the time that I was upstate, my mother was the only one there to support me. So I knew that when I got home that I was going to be there to support her. When I finally did get home I came home with the wrong attitude - that I did not need anybody for support, which was a big mistake. Seeing my mother go through her changes and hanging out with the wrong people I relapsed into the drug scene again. It was also a thing of not being honest with myself. I hit my bottom worse than before because I knew there was a better way to live. So it got so bad that I wanted to kill myself, because I not only let myself down but I let my mother down as well.

So I went for help and decided to put my life back in order. Since then I have been surrounding myself with positive people. I have also been working alongside my mother who is a living legend in my eyes because she has been through so much and is still able to help people everyday in spite of her own problems.

I had to realize that drugs is not the answer, that kind of life only leads to two things - either death or jail. A lot of people do not make it to go get help. Today it's about being responsible and knowing that I do not need drugs in my life to make me feel good. I do things positive in my life to make me feel good. I am thankful that I am working at the Network alongside my mother, Ken and Joel. It is giving me the opportunity to be a productive person for myself and those around me. I truly thank the people that I work with every day for having the faith and confidence in me when I didn't have it in myself.

I have dedicated my life to helping people with AIDS because it is truly a tragedy. My mother, Ken and Joel are the best to work alongside because they truly care and help people.


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This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1994. AEGIS.