re: Have you ever had a family member struggle with drug abuse? (Updated)

He started smoking pot at 13, moved on to beer and then pretty much anything you put in front of him. He kept it hidden from us as much as possible. I think he went through a crack period and then after a horrible injury a pain pill period and he finally overdosed on methadone (although the autopsy report left me with a lot of questions).

The thing with him was his essential amiable character overwhelmed the drama that surrounds addiction. He literally moved out at 16 and kept us largely away from the stuff. I would drink with him on occasion, and he always had great jobs. He'd call me when he was depressed (he had clinical depression) and tell me that he was about to kill himself and he'd sob and tell me how bad he felt. It was emotionally excruciating for me. But everybody always loved him, and since my Mom is a troubled person she doted on him and favored him. So he was never exiled from the family. He always kept it together around us but he had typical addiction drama and the occasional run-in with the law. And then he started his own family but his wife could not put up with his shite. He died in his very early 40's.