Lisa Hall-Wilson

I have interviewed dozens of drug addicts and alcoholics. As a mom, I looked for the magic bullet that would keep my own children from that dark path.

But there isn’t one.

As a freelance writer, I have the opportunity to interview some really fascinating people. My work led me to interview dozens of drug addicts and alcoholics over a 2year period, some have since remained clean and some have fallen back into their addictions. Most of the addicts I’ve interviewed spent time in jail, watched close friends die, tried to commit suicide, committed theft and robbery, some were prostitutes (male and female), lived on the streets, were beaten and abused, and all knew what it was to live without hope.

Not a single one of those people chose to be an addict as their life’s ambition. Addiction was something that happened as they struggled to fit in, to be something they weren’t, to stop feeling bad, or to feel good. Many wanted to escape the reality of their own lives, at first just for a few minutes. Now, I’m a writer not an addictions expert, but the more interviews I did, the more parents of addicts I spoke with, a few warnings said in retrospect continued to repeat themselves.

Every week, I try to find the craziest stories that prove my theory: Truth is stranger than fiction. If I put this stuff in a story, no one would believe me. If you have one to add, post the link in the comments.

I am passionate about making the world a better place – one article at a time. When I’m faced with an injustice, disaster or other issue that I can raise awareness of through an article – I’m all over it. This is one way I can DO something to help. Through my work with a non-profit working internationally, I’ve done a lot of research into the plight of women worldwide. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to know how women suffer around the world, and their only fault is being born female…

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