Several months ago I got to know a man who had been addicted to GHB
for eight years. A former bodybuilder (who even modeled workout clothing with
some awesome abs) and a contractor, GHB had taken over his life. His ability
to discipline himself and work out was long gone. His body was clearly that of
an EX-body builder. When I interviewed him on camera for French TV, he
struggled to stay focused and finish sentences, something he attributed to the
prolonged abuse of GHB. He'd lose his train of thought and in frustration say,
"Trinka, I'm telling you. I wasn't like this. It's the GHB." He was
working as a contractor on a small scale. His marriage was falling apart. I
had met him through a doctor at UCLA who was studying GHB, and interviewing
users around the campus. She had introduced me to Dave and was planning to
help him detox, but UCLA, like most facilities, had little exposure to the
withdrawal syndrome from GHB. After talking with other GHB experts (and
learning that it's more likely a 10-14 day, intensive care situation than the
usual 3-5 day detox), they proceeded with his detox---and what an experience
it was for them all. By the time he actually went into the hospital, he had
gotten even more confused and frustrated. He would somehow remember or be able
to find my phone number, but would lose the UCLA phone numbers. He would call
me, asking for his doctor's number (remember.........he knew HER before
meeting ME). About eight to ten days later, he would call me again.....asking
for her number and oblivious to the prior conversation. Sometimes he
remembered his doctor's name and sometimes he didn't. This happened three or
four times. His wife had given up on him and was ready to leave; her three
children didn't need any more of this mess.
Then one day I got a call from the doctor and she was very worried.
She called to tell me that he wanted me to know that he was in the hospital.
They were in Day 4, and the doctors were worried. He was experiencing bizarre
episodes, despite heavy medication, and they were actually worried that he
might not live through it. Bear in mind..............this guy is a top medical
facility with their full attention......and he's in danger. Well, he did
survive. Detox took 12 days and psychiatric care follow up. UCLA called it the
worst drug withdrawal they had ever seen from any drug. His
experience..........which he does not remember at all..............will be the
subject of a paper that will hopefully be published soon. The doctor told me
he was doing well and working at getting his life back together and back to
work.
Then she lost contact with him. We both left messages for him and
got no replies. The various numbers did or didn't work from time to time, but
we weren't making contact. Some of the numbers were disconnected. We really
became concerned as the weeks passed that he had either started using again
and didn't want to admit it to us.................or worse. Frankly, I was
ready to call the LA Coroner's Office to verify whether he had overdosed and
died on us. But a couple of days ago I ran across his number in an old note
and called it......one more time..............just in case. To my amazement,
his wife answered. Yes, he was still alive, and yes, they are still together.
He's doing well, but just busy. We had a great conversation. She was thrilled
to have her husband and father of her kids back. She sounded in really good
spirits. Today he called me and I can't tell you how different...and how
GOOD...his voice sounded. He was a different person. This wasn't the fuzzed,
disorganized conversation of the past. This was a man with clarity and life,
back among the living. He said his body still needs some
"reconstruction" to see those washboard abs again, but he's on his
way.
Not everyone will have such a tough time in detox, but his
experience is not that unusual either. During the past few months I've learned
a lot about a couple of young men who were addicted to GHB, lived several
months of hell trying to escape from it and paid the ultimate price,
overdosing on other drugs trying to stay off the G. I'm sorry that Josh and
Matt didn't make it. May their tragedies help spread the word, and save others
in the future. And may Dave's success story spread far and wide to help ER's
and addiction centers learn the true risks of GHB addiction/withdrawal.
This has been an incredibly intense year for me personally. I've
never known so many people at one time dealing with their first or second
Christmas (plus birthdays and other holidays) with a key element missing from
their lives---a child (or husband or wife or friend or parent)----gone because
of GHB, just about the meanest, ugliest drug in town. It has been deeply
touching to work with people trying so hard to understand what has happened to
their lives and why and to make some sense and some meaning out of it, either
through education or others, legislation, etc. I've seen the strong, brave
fronts they've put forward, and some of the fragile moments of grief as well.
It compares only to my three and a half years in LAPD's Abused Child Unit,
dealing with those unbelievable criminals who could savagely kill their own
children, dealing with judges and/or social workers who seemed cold and
indifferent to the cruelty imposed upon innocent babies, to trying to handle
dead infants with the right blend of compassion (just in case it turned out to
be a true "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome case" when the coroner
finished, and the parents were innocent of wrongdoing) but with thoroughness
and determination (in case it turned out to be not such an innocent death).
Trust me, you never forget the pain of child abuse that you see in the eyes of
victims and their siblings.
I hope that absolutely everyone spent Thanksgiving being truly
thankful for the moments they have shared with those still here as well as
with those too soon gone........and Christmas rejoicing in the lives still
here as well as the moments shared with those gone. Honor those we've lost,
but treasure each person still around you. May New Years bring a brighter day.
Life is just too precious to waste on drugs.