Heroin Addiction Intervention: Amanda's Story

Heroin Addiction Intervention - Amanda's Story Dr. Travis Stork: Todd has chronicled some of the journey that he’s been along. It’s called Killing Willis from Different Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted. It’s actually out now in the stores. Next, I want to welcome Amanda and her mom Tasha to the show. Amanda admits to be an addictive to smoking heroine, has a $400 a day habit. She’s been using drugs she says everyday for the past few years, and Amanda, tell me what you feel when you hear me say that. Amanda: It’s just like it depresses me because I don’t want to be that person, and that’s not me. Like you were saying you could be the nicest person in the world and yet addicted to drugs and that’s me. I'm a 19-year old little white girl and I'm addicted to heroine. Dr. Travis Stork: Here’s what I'm going to ask you. I want you to stick around throughout the show and listen to what we have to say because you want to quit, right. Amanda: Yeah. I've got five days cleaned right now so I know how the withdrawals and the kicking go. It’s not fun. Dr. Travis Stork: You know what you’ve already started. Five days ago, it was the last time you’d ever going to use drugs for the rest of your life, okay. We’re going to talk about this more later in the show Amanda because I want to increase your conviction that you're never going to touch these drugs ever, ever again. You've been watching this show next to your mom, and Tasha, I think admittedly things have been out of control? Tasha: Yeah. We’ve had our share. She’s totally withdrawn from her family. When she is home, she just hibernates in her room. We never see her. She comes home late at night and leaves early in the morning. She doesn’t-- Male1: You've actually called some of our counselors and we were worried that you're going to have to bury your kid. Tasha: I did. I called everybody on the list. I got a list and action was there, and I called every person on that list trying to find somebody. Male1: What do you want to say to your daughter? She’s right here. Tasha: I love you so much, and you are so young. You have so much life ahead of you. Amanda: That’s why I'm going to get better not only for me but for my family. Tasha: You were so spunky and so outgoing, and now you're just so quiet and just literally, you lost so much weight. Male1: Stand up for a second. Stand up both of you. I want you to give your mom a hug for a minute and stay there. Tell us--stay there. Tell us what drug is worth more than that. Amanda: My mom, she is my drug--and my dad. Todd: Where’s your dad. Amanda: I love you, dad. Male2: I love you. Male1: Wait, wait, wait, anything you want to say to her? Male2: I just want you to get better. I don’t want you to be like this. We love you. Amanda: I love you, too. I don’t want to be known as the tar smoking heroine addict anymore. Male1: Your parents and I have been talking, and we have a plan for you. And the plan is, right after the show, you're going to get in my little car and we’re going to drive and you're going to go into the rehab and you're going to get better. Amanda: I know I should have packed a bag. Male1: Yeah, you should have packed bag. What do you say, huh? Amanda: I’ll do it. Male1: Good! Amanda, are you ready? Amanda: I'm ready. Male1: Let’s do a family deal here. There you go.