You see them living on the streets, huddle in the doorways of dark alleys late at night. They live under the overpass of the highway or in the slums on the other side of the tracks. Or do they? I am sure we have all driven by a person before and said, “there’s an addict.” Addicts are easy to pick out of a crowd of people, aren’t they? Have you ever asked yourself, what does an addict look like? Let’s face it, some addicts are obvious to pick out as they wear the years of abuse on the outside. Their faces are scared and they often smell quite bad. They walk the city streets pacing up and down looking for their next fix. 
I have been working in the field of addiction for nearly 10 years now and I was in active addiction for 9 years myself and I must say that not every addict is someone living on the streets or in the dark alleys of your community. Addiction is no respecter of person. People in active addiction come in all shapes and sizes and from all different backgrounds. Doctors, lawyers, office professionals struggle with addiction. Athletes, musicians and executives become hopelessly addicted to drugs and alcohol; even stay at home moms. As much as we think we know what an addict looks like, I want you to know that appearances can be deceiving. So the next time you make a decision to judge a person you see on the streets and say to yourself or someone else, “look at that addict,” remember your next door neighbor or even your own child maybe someone addicted to something. What does an addict look like to you?
Click here to read my story of overcoming addiction.
