Can addicts go to Heaven follow up

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What we always must consider regarding drug addiction is an individual’s place and state in life. Many people try diverse ways to “escape” the reality of the hell they might see themselves living in. Many cannot cope with their situation. They self-medicate. Depression, anxiety, any mental health issue - these can all cause and be the root of addiction.

I know of one case, where a chap I knew had manic depression. He would go out and always do the most ridiculous things. He got hooked on coke this way - it was an emotional addiction, rather than a dependence. He did it for energy, the thrill, and for the way it helped him forget every embarrassment and pain in his life.

It was the worst thing for him to turn to. Perhaps, drug dependencies are a failure on behalf of us, the family and friend to that poor suffering soul.

I pause to think - if he were not manic, if his childhood wasn’t so traumatic - would any of this have occurred? You can never judge a person because of how they live their lives, because you never know what storm is occurring within their soul.

Someone’s need to depend on something outside of God - this IS a choice, but it’s not always necessarily a free-will choice. When addiction sets in, ones culpability falls into question. It is a sickness. I guarantee you that many dying of cancer would also agree.

Addicts suffer. They want to escape. They crave the temporary death and anaesthetic that drugs allow people to experience. Many people fight this. We are not to say what battalion of angels might come to collect their souls on their last day.

The nature of addiction - the reason people choose drugs, whose faith is weak, whose family is often broken to the umpteenth degree… what can we say?

And just like people with cancer are suffering with cancer, they aren’t merely “cancer patients”, nor is the man that undergoes a heart transplant merely a “transplant recipient.” We are all human, equal in frailty and weakness. We ought to be more compassionate to those who cannot see any meaning in life, who choose to be mentally and emotionally absent and distant.

That is a sickness.

OP; you will always worry, but you can rest with assurance that our God is a merciful Father. You can imagine that His judgement is much like yours regarding your sons actions. But, His judgement has one other benefit - yes, the loving bond between parent and child - but His judgement is perfect. He knows why your son did as he did, and He was with your son every minute and second of his life. Can you imagine our Blessed Mother looking on her children and seeing their suffering? The merits of your prayer, your family’s prayer, the prayer of the Blessed Mother who can’t bear to see the redeemed children of God pass through life without knowledge of His constant and abiding love.

Consider all of that. Always keep that holy hope - one day you and your son could be reunited. One day, myself and my grandfather could be reunited - but who knows? I have sinned, he has sinned. You have sinned, we’ve all sinned in uniquely different but similar ways.
 
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Actually, as I have heard from parents a few times in situations like this, she no longer has to worry about what he is going to do. I imagine some folks find it strange, but I have encountered people who find it a relief.
You are right: I don’t have to worry about what my son is going to do, or if tomorrow is the day I find him dead or learn that he has been arrested. I no longer lie awake at night wondering if I will get “the call.” Instead, my sleep is peppered with nightmares and waking up often. I now live with a grief that is so profound that words cannot describe. My future hopes for us died on November 15. I now belong to a new FaceBook group called Compassionate Friends, Loss of a Child, and I haven’t heard from anyone who feels relief. I pray that your eyes will open some day.
 
All I can suggest is you spend quality time around some addicts. Really get to know them. Serve them, in a human way, by taking care of them when they can’t take care of themselves. Talk to them about their addiction, and listen really hard. Then you will probably understand why others can easily equate addiction with diseases of all types.
I’ve known a truckload of addicts, alcoholics, and drug users including several who died of OD’s, suicide or reckless behavior and others who ended up in prison or dying of slow illnesses caused by their habits. Some of these were my loved ones, my friends, or my friends’ loved ones. One more acquaintance actually just passed away over this weekend of addiction-related causes.

Equating addiction with a “disease” in terms of a mental illness/ compulsive disorder makes sense.

Equating it with cancer or heart disease or something else physical that people often get out of the clear blue sky is not appropriate. And telling someone who has cancer that they need to spend “quality time” with addicts to understand the disease theory of addiction better is not really the way to educate them on the subject if they don’t already know people with addiction problems or have them in the family. I could go on but I’ll leave it at that.
 
I am not aware of anyone in the dialogue having cancer. I had cancer, though, and I don’t find the comparison objectionable. And no, it wasn’t a type of cancer caused by anything I brought in myself.

Mental illness is a disease. An impedement to treating it is that people are resistant to thinking of it in terms of a disease.
 
Several months ago I asked the question that is in the subject line and I am grateful for the responses I have received. Some of the answers have given me hope.

Where my son’s soul ended up is still a mystery and could remain a mystery until I reach Heaven.

On this Easter Sunday, I began reading the book “Hungry Souls.”

I continue to pray and ask you to pray for him. His name is Alex.

That is all for now.

Blessings on this Easter Sunday.
Praying for Alex.
🙏
 
I see I misread Seeksadvice’s post about retinoblastoma as saying that he had it himself, which was an error on my part.

Still, I think my point is still valid. Just because you yourself aren’t upset by the comparison doesn’t mean that it’s an appropriate comparison in all cases.
 
Hello everyone. Thank you for your replies. I did not mean to start a fire. I would like to close discussion on this topic by asking all of you to please pray for my son and for me. That is all. God Bless You and hold you in His arms. May this Easter season convert any hardened hearts into hearts that are “natural” as is written in Ezekiel.
 
I assure you of this former addicts prayers.

God bless

Christ is risen!
 
I am so sorry for your loss, and I will pray for your son and for your family.
 
Qwerty - Physical dependence is done by at least 6 months, probably less. After a few years in the penitentiary, the physical dependence should be long gone.
You’re kidding me right? You think there are no drugs in a penitentiary? That some hard time will “cure” an addict?

Techgal, praying for you and for Alex’s soul.
 
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I’ll certainly pray again for you and your son. I did a plenary indulgence for him on Jan 3 with an accompanying Divine Mercy for you. Hopefully that helped.

I feel for you as I see how hard it is on my friends who have lost loved ones (a spouse, a brother) to addiction and many years ago I was in that boat myself of losing a very close person in my life.

God bless
 
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

It will be a while before I will make it to confession, but would you like me to offer my next attempt at a plenary indulgence for your son?
 
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No, not demonically inspired. Not everything that is from a different viewpoint is demonic.
 
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