Question: I am a long time crack cocaine user and addict. I am serving 14 months for Grand Larceny and I am scheduled for early release next month. I have been in jail 2 times before. I am not a bad person but I am a drug addict and all the crimes I have done and the people I have harmed in doing these crimes has been as a result of my drug addiction. I have been working very hard on staying clean for the last few months and I am really ready to be a good father to my children and to try to stay out of prison. But I am very scared that I will go back to using crack. I do not know what to do. I am broke and I need to get working to support my children. I don’t have any money for any drug addiction program like I get in here. Every time I get released I always swear I won’t go back to drugs. I really don’t want to come back here ever again. How can I stay off drugs once I get back home when I have no money for help and it’s right back to the same old places and people that got me into trouble the last time. I know if I get back on crack I’ll be back again soon and next time it might be for a real long time.

Douglas Goldschmidt Says...:

Crack is a tough drug in recovery as the trigger for use tends to be money and availability.  You need a good support system, outside of your family and friends, which you can go to on a regular basis.  A local Narcotics Anonymous, or one of the similar community based recovery groups, is your best bet.  A supportive community of recovering addicts  can help keep you safe and will also protect you from the often well-meant but not always useful interventions of friends and family.