Press Release
 Meth and Me
Pedro, a Phoenix House graduate, testified at a public hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Methamphetamine (meth) Abuse. Read his testimony below.
LOS ANGELES, CA January 18, 2006 - “I started off using meth when I barely began high school. I had already been using marijuana which eventually led me to other drugs such as coke, mushrooms, alcohol at the age of eleven.
When I first tried crystal meth, I automatically fell in love. I had finally found the drug that I was looking for. The high lasted for hours and I could either smoke it or sniff it. The stuff was pretty cheap and it was very easy for me to get.
One of the things that I loved about meth was that I wouldn’t be able to sleep at all, so I would be awake for days. After a while of using almost everyday, I started to hallucinate pretty bad. I started to see and talk to people that where not even there. While on the drug, you don’t get hungry, not one bit, so I started to lose a lot of weight. There were times when I didn’t want to use the drug but I felt like I needed too. I became so dependent on crystal that I could not function without it. I ended up spending almost fifteen hundred dollars on meth in a period of five days. That’s how addicting the drug is. I made sure I always had plenty. When I did not have crystal, all I could think of was getting some. It was one thing that would always be on my mind was crystal. I could not stop thinking about it. I would shake all the time when I did not have it but when I did I felt happy, like everything was back to normal.
I realized that I had a problem and I needed help. I lost my families trust due to all the lies and stealing which I did to support my habit. I spoke to a drug counselor that recommended that I checked in to a treatment center which was Phoenix House.
My first three months of being in treatment, was very hard. All I would think about was meth. I would have dreams about meth everyday, and I would wake up in the morning and check my pockets and look underneath my pillow looking for it but I would realize it was just a dream. When anybody would talk about it, I would shake and start sweating because I really wanted to smoke some.
Since I have been in Phoenix House, my behavior has changed so much. I am able to deal with all the cravings. I have gained weight which I am very happy about because I was very skinny before. I have earned my parents trust back and it’s like we are a family again. All of this would have probably not happened if I would have never done that first line of crystal. That is why I am here to tell you my experience because I would not want to see anybody go through what I had to go through.”
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Media Contact:
Linda O'Hanlon
818-386-1916
ohanlon@straightlinecomm.com.
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