Written by Terry Gion 12/18/2022
The disease of drug addiction
Is often misunderstood It’s not a moral failure Yet this belief has withstood
Addiction is a brain disease
It evolves over time Let’s treat it like an illness
Rather than a crime
Changes occur in the brain
As the drugs takes hold
Powerful cravings come
And they take control
The brain rewards the use of drugs
With happiness and joy The temporary feelings Are just a decoy
You see, many people suffer From emotional distress Depression, anxiety, and sadness
These feelings, they want to suppress
The reward of the drugs will do this
They take away the pain But then the drug wears off And the emotional distress remains
The reward system of the brain
Works in overdrive By telling the person with addiction
They need the drug to survive
The truth of the matter is Drugs are not used for pleasure
Not feeling the emotional distress
Is what the person treasures
Addiction does not discriminate It can happen to anyone The rich, the poor, the young, the old
A daughter, a parent, or a son
A person with a drug addiction
Does not need to be judged They have done that to themselves
So put away the grudge
Kindness and support is needed For those who suffer from addiction
This disease is a vicious battle One of the worse afflictions
A person with a drug addiction
Cannot fight this battle alone
The brain will fight the will to stop
As research on addiction has shown
The battle is long but can be won
At times it may be derailed
But never give up because it’s worth the fight
So the person with addiction can prevail