C.R.R.E.A.D. Rehabilitation Center, A.C.

"The truth is that drugs kill people every day, and now there is a there is a growing epidemic because of such drugs as drugs a oxycotton, methamphetamine, cocain and heroine, valium,  psychotropic drugs, like extacy. What people don`t talk about is that although the addiction is in one person and that person may be fighting it with all their might, the ones that suffer are those who surround that individual. The love and concern that one feels for another cannot be neglected. Many drug addicts have died over the years. And while they are gone, those left behind quietly suffer their loss. Year after year we grieve. Year after year seek comfort, we join groups, we work harder, we talk to family and we make new friends. But nothing can replace you when you are gone. That desperation that one feels while we as the addicts suffer for our next dose comes from the fear of what lies just beyond, a life time without you, our suffering addict."  

The deadly fact is that when we are gone, the grieving left behind often begins to drink and look for comfort in many ways even in those ways that we as the addicts took all to our own. They ask themselves, "I wonder what this stuff had that it could take them away?" Then ask themselves, "Why wasn``t my love enough?" They say all sorts of distorted things to themselves like, "I wonder why God took them away? I hate myself for not being a better friend. If I was only a better mother. If I was only there more as a father. God why couldn`t they let go of this?" They often spend years suffering in silent agony over our deaths. They cry through the night and make soaked pillow their fountain of youth. Aged and wrinkled sometimes, they find the strength to pray for us even while we cling to death. I might as well see what this stuff was all aobut. I mean it was strong enough to take them away lets see if it can face me." Yes as incredible as that sounds our loved ones face our addictions long after we are gone and much more than we do while we are in active addiction. 

NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse 

Loss is never easy to accept. When we turn toward isolation and or drugs and or alcohol to keep us company throughout our day instead of friends and family and love and God, we suffer loss. Those that love us suffer loss. We all lose out on a moment well spent enjoying that day we gave to drugs and to drinking. With our wits in tact and our resolve in order we can hold our heads high and face whatever comes our way. 

The confusion and frustration we as addicts face is only the prelude for what those that love us are going to go through.. When we die from an overdose our loved ones will have the cold of the night, and the lifeless tombstone to comfort them. Those are loved ones continuing to be a marvel of humanity and God`s gift will continue to visit our graves and put fresh flowers on them, year after year and ask themselves, "why?"

An altered state of mind provides false courage and a twisted sense of reality. Often sending us to just as dark a place as death, jail, prostitution, facing violent circumstances for many years..Those who love us always wonder why their love was not enough to keep us away from an addiction. They will be unable to face the loss easily. In some cases they may never get over our death from an overdose.   

Drinking and Driving Deaths:

Every 30 minutes someone in the US is killed by a drunk driver!

In 2006-2010 an estimated 17,602 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes—an average of one every 30 minutes.

Since 1980 (the year M.A.D.D. was founded), alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased by about 44 percent, from over 30,000 per year to under 17,000.  MADD has helped save over 300,000 lives.  

Not all Drunk Driving Accidents end in murder...

Every 24 hours 1,620 people are injured or maimed by a drunk driver!

Example:

Jacqueline Saburido was taking a break from college and industrial engineering classes when she came to the United States from Venezuela to study English. A drunk driving crash changed her life completely. Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old high school student, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. He struck the car carrying Jacqueline and three other friends. Two died on impact and Jacqueline on one other survived.  

Before	After

 
Comparing Loss of Life Statistics:

Drinking and Driving vs. War 

Are drinking and driving deaths really as bad as we think?  We have certainly lost more soldiers to war than to drunk drivers, right?  Well, let’s do some math. Let's compare the number of US lives lost in our three major wars to the number of lives lost from drunk drivers:

Soldiers Killed in WW I + WW II + Vietnam: 594,161 
DUI Related Deaths Since WW I:                  1.7 Million (estimate)

Current War:
2007: Soldiers Killed in Iraq: 4,013 
2007: DUI Deaths: Estimated 17,600 (41% of all traffic fatalities) 

Looking at these numbers it seems so hard to believe that a bigger killer than war continues on and on and on... repeat offenders get back on our streets over and over until they eventually kill an innocent person. Then it's too late. How about we just not let drunk driver drive? That would be a logical first step. 

Note: the above war comparison is in no way meant to insult the brave solders that have fought and died for our country. It’s used only as one of several shocking perspectives. Please check back for more statistical information and comparisons. 

Rachel Amaris Elliot (1989-2008) These are her photos above. 

http://www.rachelelliott.org/Rachel_Links.html

 DRUNK DRIVING PRODUCED THESE SCENES FROM BY THOSE OF US WHO THOUGHT IT WAS NO BIG DEAL TO DRINK DRIVE LAUGH CRASH AND KILL. 

NOW WITH YOUR PERMISSION LETS TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT DRUGS, DRINKING AND DRIVING REALLY CAUSED ALL AROUND YOU. 

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