A Father's Love vs. Crystal Meth Addiction - David Sheff and Beautiful Boy

Many families suffer in silence through the problem of drug addiction.  For journalist David Sheff, watching his oldest son change from a carefree "golden boy" who loved life into a crystal meth addict who stole money from the family to support his habit was excruciating, but he decided to share his story with the world.  His 2008 memoir, Beautiful Boy, describes the downward spiral of his son Nic's addiction and the effect it had on Sheff's family.  

Sheff's book earned him a place on Time Magazine's list of the most influential people of 2009, but he was initially reluctant to write it.  Many parents of young adults who are addicted to drugs have a strong sense of shame as well as a desire to protect the reputation of their child.  Sheff overcame his personal misgivings and wrote the book to help other families deal with the problem of drug addiction.  "I realized the power of telling a story like this because if opens the doors to other people," said Sheff in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.  "It gives people permission to discuss it."

Experimenting in High School and the Trap of Meth Addiction

Sheff's son Nic was by all appearances a happy child, but by the time was in middle school he was drink alcohol and smoking pot on a daily basis.  In high school he experimented with ecstasy, LSD and cocaine, but was also an honor student and co-captain of the high school water polo team.  When he tried crystal meth at age 18, he experienced a feeling of euphoria that lasted for several hours and was followed by a deep depression as the drug wore off.  He became immediately addicted and began to use methamphetamine constantly in an attempt to maintain the euphoric feeling and avoid the pain of crashing.

For the next few years, Nic spent much of his time living on the streets as a crystal meth addict.  He prostituted himself for drug money, ate food out of trash cans and even burglarized his family's home.  He nearly overdosed and was in an out of treatment several times.  According to David Sheff, "Methamphetamine stole his soul.  Our lives descended…into what can only be described as hell."  

After experiencing meth-induced psychosis and being hospitalized for an overdose, Nic finally agree to enter rehab.  This time the treatment worked and he was able to stay sober for several months.  Since then, both he and his family have accepted the fact that recovery from crystal meth addiction is an ongoing process that often includes relapse.  He is now in his late twenties and has written two books of his own about his addiction, Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines and We All Fall Down.  Once estranged from his family, he is now more conscious of the impact that his addiction has had on parents and siblings.  

In a recent interview with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, Nic gives this advice to others who are struggling with crystal meth addiction, "As long as you keep holding on and staying sober…Your life will start to be truly beautiful—maybe for the first time ever. It’s true, when you stay sober—the longer you stay sob