Columnist Ask Erin Talks Nature vs Nurture re Addiction
Erin Khar aka 'Ask Erin' is a syndicated columnist and essayist. "Guilty" is one of my favorite Khar essays. It is one of 22 fiery essays in Lilly Dancyger's brilliant anthology, BURN IT DOWN: WOMEN WRITING ABOUT ANGER. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it. It's a fabulous collection of gripping stories.
Erin Khar has also written her first, and much-anticipated memoir, STRUNG OUT: ONE LAST HIT AND OTHER LIES THAT NEARLY KILLED ME. Park Row Books will release it this February.
Khar is open and honest about her troubled teen years in her efforts to help others who are feeling lost and helpless. In this video, we talk about substance abuse and the questions about why some users are occasional while others fall into the abyss. We spoke about Khar's drug problems and her personality. We talked about her parents and the question of "nature versus nurture," a topic that fascinates me.
“As a junkie I was a walking apology," says Erin. She is proof that being addicted to heroin (or any highly addictive substance like alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines or opioids, etc) does not have to be the end of your life. There is help out there. You are not alone!! If you are in a crisis, please call 911. If you are struggling with depression, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse or any overwhelming problem, there are so many places to turn and here are suggestions:
National Drug Helpline [dot] org
AA [dot] org
Jut Think Twice [dot] gov
The Fix [dot] com
Smart Recovery [dot] org