“I am almost 50 years old and proud to say I have been clean for 15 years”.  Let me introduce you to Shawn,  handsome, spiritual, successful.  When he speaks one thinks he is a  wiseman and has lived a life of truth and wisdom.  Little did I know that he was born into a new person only 15 years ago.  Shawn was born into a wealthy family.  A mom, who he refers to as a somewhat sociopath, raised her two children without any nurturing, love, or connection.  Love and nurturing was missing in his life.  Coming from a family of elites, he barely saw his dad who worked all day to fit the role. As a child he could hear his parents constantly bickering and fighting . He would put his hand on his ears and take his little sister to his room to comfort her as she cried.  His mom and dad did not know the damage they were doing to their children.  As a teenager who was tall and handsome and looked older than his age, he became involved with a group of individuals who were older than him. they introduced him to drugs such as cocaine and opioids.  Shawn loved getting high with them and felt a false sense of security as he would engage in unhealthy relationships with older women.  He said he looked for motherly love in these relationships.  He calls himself a functioning addict. He went to school, became successful and was still using.  He had no sleep, did not eat but pretended to be living a normal life.