McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Addictions - your experiences?

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Snowleopard:

--- Quote from: Nicodemus Carpenter on June 26, 2011, 08:39:22 PM ---Sorry to necro this thread, but I have a specific problem relating to this topic.

Without going into too much detail, a character has been using drugs as a means of controlling my protagonist for the past couple of years. With the events of the story, that supply will be cut off, and she'll have to contend with something approximating heroin withdrawal.  The addiction is important for later books in the series, but for now I need to know how to handle it.  In this first book, my protagonist is a young teen, and while her physiology is somewhat more robust than human normal, the general rules still apply.  

What I'm looking for are specific details about how much such a serious withdrawal would hamper someone mentally, emotionally, and physically over the course of a week or two.  Getting more drugs is not a viable option, so she won't be having to battle temptation or anything, just the unavoidable symptoms.  Her normal routine tends to include scrambles across rooftops at night, and sneaking into and out of places that most people consider inaccessible.  What I'm trying to figure out is whether this will simply be more difficult, or flat out impossible.

--- End quote ---

The author Laurie King - who writes a Sherlock Holmes series showed his young female protagonist undergoing withdrawal - I think it was from cocaine.  I'll check and see what the book title is.
I've always heard that heroin is bad in that you get a physical addiction to it which is why withdrawal is an absolute hell.  Cocaine on the other hand, along with the physical, is a psychological addiction.

It's the Laurie King - Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series and the book, I believe, is "A Monstrous Regiment of Women."  It's the second in the series.  Note - if you're a Sherlock Holmes purist you probably won't like this series but I find them quite enjoyable.

Sir Huron Stone:
I talked with a buddy of mine-he used to be addicted to heroin-and he said that when he went through withdrawl-he did it cold turkey after his daughter wanted to know when she could try-it is absolute hell. He still siezes up when someone smells like heroin or shows it too him. He's terrified of the stuff now.

Nicodemus Carpenter:
You guys are amazing, thanks. You gave me exactly what I needed.

Murphy's Stunt Double:

--- Quote from: BobForPresident on June 06, 2011, 05:33:20 PM ---My character, Niles Harcourt, is a pill-popper. He digs Vicodin and X, acid and heroin. He's wealthy, charming, and incredibly high-profile. The end result is that his CEO father has a standing account with LAPD to keep his ass out of jail. To say he struggles with addiction isn't quite right - it's more like he revels in it.

...

But it's the urges I needed perspective on. And you guys have helped me with that admirably. Thanks again.

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My recommendation: Go to a few Narcotics Anonymous meetings and listen. You have the credentials to be a member if you want to be, and it's completely ok to acknowledge that you're "just there to listen" when your turn comes to speak. Just be honorable about it and don't break the anonymity of anyone you see there in any way.

Good luck.

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