Is there such a thing as a functional heroin user?

Question by Bozz Mozz: Is there such a thing as a functional heroin user?
I know there are functional alcoholics and functional drug users. I’ve never heard of it applying to heroin though.

If you knew a woman who was in recovery, her kids are fed, they have haircuts and are clean. Her house is clean. She is a real space cadet though and she has marks on her arms (can’t tell if they’re scars, husband says they’re not) would you give her the benefit of the doubt? Her son plays w/ my daughter. She gets invited for playdates and I typically defer them to my house. Would like to put my mind at ease though. If she were still active would she be so functional? I’ve only known one other heroin user and her house was a disaster, she was always sleeping and her kids always missed school. I base this only on her arms and her airheadedness. Can I give her the benefit of the doubt? Can you shoot something other than heroin and still be productive? She’s a nurse.

Best answer:

Answer by stay@homemomma
you had me until you said nurse. i dont have the best experience w/nurse drug users – it should be stated that my MIL is one. there have been times when she was “off” but couldn’t prove anything. then only to find out months later when she overdosed and was in the hospital thats what was up.
heres what i know about alcoholics and addicts recovery isn’t just about lack of drugs or alcohol it is a state of being. they say a dry drunk is almost as bad as a regular drunk. If she is in an active recovery program/state of mind/whatever she would be pretty much normal like other people. you would probably never know that she was user. a person who is active in their addiction can hide it from others, its not too hard.
go with your gut. a person who made mistakes in the past doesn’t destine themselves to a lifetime of screw ups. it is possible to turn your life around, it also equally as possible to mess it back up again.
this is a gut call all the way. either you trust or you dont. you gotta pick one.

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