Broken Heart

My heart is broken today.  Late yesterday afternoon, I received news that one of my students passed away.  He graduated one year ago with much assistance from me.  This student had all the potential in the world.  Yet, he barely graduated high school and only lived 13 months after graduation.  What happened?

ADDICTION!   It started when he was in 7th grade--not to drugs, but to sex.  He had his first sexual encounter at 13 years old and could never get enough after that.  It was all he thought about.  He even stopped taking a standardized state test in 8th grade to text a request to his female partner. 

After the addiction began, his grades began to fall.  He was referred to me for assistance from Special Education.  He did not need Special Education.  He had average intelligence and was very capable.  He was also a gifted athlete.  I was begged by others in the district to help him.  I allowed him to be monitored by Special Education and receive extra help if needed. 

His grades did not pick up.  The coaches put him into tutorials as well as tutoring him personally.  The Special Education Teachers tried to help.  Nothing worked.  His senior year was a fiasco.  He wouldn't come to school.  The coaches begged me to put him to work and give him credit for it so he could graduate.  He wouldn't go to work. 

The last six weeks, he kicked it into high gear with two jobs.  He earned enough credit to graduate, but not before graduation ceremony.  He was not allowed to walk for graduation.  Two weeks later, he had completed his credits and I sent word to administration that he was eligible for graduation.

About now, you are thinking that he died of a sexually transmitted disease.  Go back and read the all caps.  I said he died of ADDICTION.  After the thrill of sex wore off, he began experimenting with drugs.  He died yesterday as the result of a bad mix.

What does this have to do with the sex addiction?  Addiction to ANYTHING is harmful.  Once someone becomes accustomed to receiving his or her thrills from a quick 'high', they are addicts.  One addiction can lead to another.  Many addicts have more than one addiction. 

Here are some addictions that are just as harmful as drugs:
Sex
Alcohol
Weight control
Control in general
Shopping
Gambling
Watching television
Working
Carbohydrates
Smoking

If you see one of these addictions in one of your loved ones, don't ignore it and pass it off as harmless.  No addiction is harmless.  Addiction controls the individual.  No one wants to be controlled.