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Junkbox Diaries: a day in the life of a heroin addict
Welcome to Junkbox Diaries.
What is a junkbox?
A person who is just so all consumed by addiction and drugs that they do not care about what goes into their body. They don't shower, they barely eat, and the only sleep they get is a result from a high dose shot of some "high quality" heroin.
Herb Stepherson was born in Jonesboro, Georgia. He is the middle child of three boys. He is thirty-one years old and spent his youth like most young boys in central Georgia, riding bikes and playing sports--baseball in particular.
Since 2002, he has been involved in the fight for his life. He has been battling the nightmares of addiction for the past fourteen years. His first drug use was at fifteen, which was alcohol and from there quickly progressed to prescription pain medication and ultimately cocaine and heroin.
Heroin and cocaine took him to the absolute edges of humanity. He ended up homeless, eating food out of dumpsters, and strung out in some of the roughest neighborhoods in Chicago, in the dead of winter. The winter months are brutal in the Midwest. Herb slept in abandon buildings, airport terminals, and under bridges clinging to two basic needs: more heroin and to be numbed from the wreckage that this drug was creating in his life. All the while trying his best to keep hope alive that maybe one day he would finally be able to conquer this demon of addiction and recover.
Today, Herb celebrates life as a young man in recovery! He is an intervention coordinator, a budding young writer, a loving and active father to his five-year-old son, Lucas, and speaks on behalf of numerous agencies in his community hoping to shed some light on the true battles with heroin addiction.
So, why are you doing this, Herb? Why are you displaying all these horribly intimate pieces of your life for all the world to see? Don't you know that the world looks down on the whole addiction thing?
I am doing this because I hate the disease. I'm displaying all these things because someone has to. The silence, the taboo, and the shame have to end. Don't hate the addict. Hate the disease. I'm writing all this to expose what this thing is doing to people. To our brothers, sisters, moms, and dads. I'm doing this because I want everyone to know that I have indeed suffered from this thing. I'm doing this because there is too much focus on the problem and not enough on the solution. I know that the world looks down on the whole addiction thing, which is another reason I am doing this.
For more information,
visit:
JunkboxDiaries.com
HerbStepherson.com
Dedication:
This book is dedicated to many people. It is dedicated to anyone and everyone who has ever been touched by the nightmare the disease of addiction is. To all the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters who have lost someone to the disease of addiction.
This book is dedicated to the addicts out there--clean or using.
There is hope.
This book is for anyone and everyone who thinks that addicts are lost causes.
This book is for the purpose of silencing the taboo, shame, and guilt that still shrouds the disease and the addict.
This book is for anyone who may be misinformed about the nature of addiction and the culture of recovery.
The aim of this book is to paint an accurate and vivid picture of what a struggling addict faces on a daily basis. It is also the aim of this book to transform the way the world looks at addiction.
IT IS A DISEASE.
Addiction is not necessarily a death sentence, that lie is dead.
WE DO RECOVER.
What is a junkbox?
A person who is just so all consumed by addiction and drugs that they do not care about what goes into their body. They don't shower, they barely eat, and the only sleep they get is a result from a high dose shot of some "high quality" heroin.
Herb Stepherson was born in Jonesboro, Georgia. He is the middle child of three boys. He is thirty-one years old and spent his youth like most young boys in central Georgia, riding bikes and playing sports--baseball in particular.
Since 2002, he has been involved in the fight for his life. He has been battling the nightmares of addiction for the past fourteen years. His first drug use was at fifteen, which was alcohol and from there quickly progressed to prescription pain medication and ultimately cocaine and heroin.
Heroin and cocaine took him to the absolute edges of humanity. He ended up homeless, eating food out of dumpsters, and strung out in some of the roughest neighborhoods in Chicago, in the dead of winter. The winter months are brutal in the Midwest. Herb slept in abandon buildings, airport terminals, and under bridges clinging to two basic needs: more heroin and to be numbed from the wreckage that this drug was creating in his life. All the while trying his best to keep hope alive that maybe one day he would finally be able to conquer this demon of addiction and recover.
Today, Herb celebrates life as a young man in recovery! He is an intervention coordinator, a budding young writer, a loving and active father to his five-year-old son, Lucas, and speaks on behalf of numerous agencies in his community hoping to shed some light on the true battles with heroin addiction.
So, why are you doing this, Herb? Why are you displaying all these horribly intimate pieces of your life for all the world to see? Don't you know that the world looks down on the whole addiction thing?
I am doing this because I hate the disease. I'm displaying all these things because someone has to. The silence, the taboo, and the shame have to end. Don't hate the addict. Hate the disease. I'm writing all this to expose what this thing is doing to people. To our brothers, sisters, moms, and dads. I'm doing this because I want everyone to know that I have indeed suffered from this thing. I'm doing this because there is too much focus on the problem and not enough on the solution. I know that the world looks down on the whole addiction thing, which is another reason I am doing this.
For more information,
visit:
JunkboxDiaries.com
HerbStepherson.com
Dedication:
This book is dedicated to many people. It is dedicated to anyone and everyone who has ever been touched by the nightmare the disease of addiction is. To all the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters who have lost someone to the disease of addiction.
This book is dedicated to the addicts out there--clean or using.
There is hope.
This book is for anyone and everyone who thinks that addicts are lost causes.
This book is for the purpose of silencing the taboo, shame, and guilt that still shrouds the disease and the addict.
This book is for anyone who may be misinformed about the nature of addiction and the culture of recovery.
The aim of this book is to paint an accurate and vivid picture of what a struggling addict faces on a daily basis. It is also the aim of this book to transform the way the world looks at addiction.
IT IS A DISEASE.
Addiction is not necessarily a death sentence, that lie is dead.
WE DO RECOVER.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
182 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2017
45 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 20, 2017
Honesty at its best and worst.
I found this to be an honest and heartbreaking read. I have a loved one who is battling the addiction demon. She is currently losing but we are hopeful that she will find her way. She knows you, Herb. She is the reason we read your book. Thank you for your story of hope.
I found this to be an honest and heartbreaking read. I have a loved one who is battling the addiction demon. She is currently losing but we are hopeful that she will find her way. She knows you, Herb. She is the reason we read your book. Thank you for your story of hope.
July 18, 2018
This is a difficult book to read. It is raw, as it is the true story from a heroin addict's own perspective. It would have been helpful if the author had given the book to a copy editor or proofreader prior to publication.
The book does contain some valuable insights from someone who has traveled this challenging path.
The book does contain some valuable insights from someone who has traveled this challenging path.
January 17, 2018
Pros: The majority of the book really gives you insight into the life of someone struggling with substance abuse. Cons: Towards the end, it starts to read like a Christian testimonial and I was no longer engaged. Overall the format is all over the place and there isn't consistency with style or flow.
January 31, 2020
Cut throat, honest real writing. Everyone should read this.
January 17, 2020
A book that I think truly gives you a immersive experience through Herbert's story of addiction.
We sometimes look at drug at addicts as disgusting people and if not most we, lose respect for them as a person and I think after reading this you'll truly see that that isn't always the case. I think herbert really takes this story to the next level and without his experiences I don't think there be much to read but with his storytelling combined with some of the saddest experiences we read about in the story, it truly gets us attached. Me being lucky enough to have been to one of Herberts speakings. I think it really helped me get through the book knowing the ending, but it also made this such a harder read to go through all the experiences in detail he has had definitely made this a disturbing but well worth read. The time he took and courage it must have taken to write this is truly mind boggling that he was ready to share all his stories for everyone to here. In that case I highly recommend this story and I see it as a absolute necessary read.
We sometimes look at drug at addicts as disgusting people and if not most we, lose respect for them as a person and I think after reading this you'll truly see that that isn't always the case. I think herbert really takes this story to the next level and without his experiences I don't think there be much to read but with his storytelling combined with some of the saddest experiences we read about in the story, it truly gets us attached. Me being lucky enough to have been to one of Herberts speakings. I think it really helped me get through the book knowing the ending, but it also made this such a harder read to go through all the experiences in detail he has had definitely made this a disturbing but well worth read. The time he took and courage it must have taken to write this is truly mind boggling that he was ready to share all his stories for everyone to here. In that case I highly recommend this story and I see it as a absolute necessary read.
October 16, 2019
Truly amazing and heartfelt
I loved reading this book! I am a struggling addict in recovery and it grave me so much hope. I really want my husband (who has been an addict since he was 13, has lost both of his parents to addiction, and has overdosed more than 5 times ) has been in county jail for over a year to read this book as well. The author really reminds me of my husband and I also want him to read this book and feel the inspiration that I got from it! This is a wonderful book for anyone to read.
I loved reading this book! I am a struggling addict in recovery and it grave me so much hope. I really want my husband (who has been an addict since he was 13, has lost both of his parents to addiction, and has overdosed more than 5 times ) has been in county jail for over a year to read this book as well. The author really reminds me of my husband and I also want him to read this book and feel the inspiration that I got from it! This is a wonderful book for anyone to read.
July 15, 2020
This book was incredible! I read it twice. I met Herb and watched his presentation. His life has been a series of horrible events, choices and decisions. He turned it around at the last possible moment and is now a professional interventionist.
January 20, 2022
I wish we didn't need a book like this but since we do have this awful disease taking over our society I recommend reading this personal, brutally honest account of the awful truth in the life of good person becoming a Junkbox. Easy read and eye opening. I recommend it.
January 5, 2024
This read was personal because I grew up with the author. I would like to see this turned into a series, including other writers. It would be cool to see others that ran in that same circle write their own Junkbox Diaries. Good job Herb.
March 18, 2017
Many people I love are addicts. There is a stigma that comes with it. Herb wants to erase that and show other addicts you can get better with God'd help and good support. Good read
June 8, 2019
I'm sure among the grammatical errors, misspellings & sentence fragments there is a good story. I just couldn't find it. Very disappointing.
May 11, 2023
Very honest book
July 7, 2023
This book is so raw and real and makes you understand one’s mind battling addiction.
November 10, 2017
Errors throughout. You can tell it was printed on demand or self-published and not one editor looked at it. Story is alright other than that.
February 1, 2017
Amazing story!!! Not for everyone... This is a great story of the horrors of addiction and an even more amazing story of recovery. The lie is Dead....
We Do Recover!
We Do Recover!
November 8, 2023
Humbling, and a great read
Read
December 27, 2018True story of addiction, written by an amazing young man.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews