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.
