You won't find a more moving and real portrait of the tragedy of drug addiction than this and if any piece of film can serve as a deterrent to those most at risk of falling into the same terrible trap, then this is it.
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But he wanted to kick the habit. He was crying because he was sick of it. He just made a mistake a long time ago and was regretting it greatly because he could see what it was doing to his family!
Although I do find it incredibly disturbing that he had his Dad drive him to the dealers.
Here I Am. What are Your Other Two Wishes?
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"I know it's not really comparable, but I used to smoke 30 a day"
You're right - it's not comparable at all. Heroin addiction is complex and haing a heroin addict in the family is even more so. Nothing is black and white.
I can totally relate to Ben AND his parents. This was one of the most truthful and important documentrys I have ever seen on the subject, and I have seen many.
His parents did (in my opinion) enable him a little too much, but for this they are guilty of nothing more than caring for their son and not being equipped to deal with heroin addiction.
There is a point in the documentary where the mother says Ben "wants" to give up - I don't think he had quite reached that point yet - I think he wanted to want to give up, but that's not enough. He would have made it in the end though.
I also don't think he reached rock bottom - the rock bottom comes when we fear the heroin more than the withdrawl - living on the streets, prison and even illness isn't rock bottom. Rock bottom is a state of mind not a physical state of being - when the soul is at roc bottom - that's when Ben would have turned it all around. I think the closest he came was the 3 days he did - so close - yet the thrid day is notorious.
Ben's work will undoubtedly save lives - and for this reason alone, he attained more in his years that most of us will in a lifetime.
Ben: Diary of a heroin addict - 10/10.
Fm
I watched this the other night and it was so so sad.
I wasn't shocked with his Dad driving him to dealers. It's not unusual for parents who accept their children have an addiction to do anything to keep them out of harms way. Ben would have got a fix with or without them. It would be safer for his Dad to take him. You can't just say because their his parents they'd tell him off and not have anything to do with any of it.
I know people who have kicked the habit themselves, and I know someone who is exactly like Ben. It's so sad and even if someone really wants to get off of it they'l never ever be free from it.
It only takes one bad decision in your life to end up like Ben. It's one of the sickest most evil things, and you can say he was selfish on his family but watching this you can see how much he loves and cares for his family. It's difficult to understand and so easy to look in from the outside and say JUST QUIT. I know other people on it who've sold off all their kids things, risked their lives to get a fix whilst their family's are at home waiting for them.
It's such an evil drug that ruins people. When your as addicted as Ben your entire body and mind depend on it. You can't feel normal without it.
They should show this in schools to show kids what it leads to. Like Ben says, you never think your going to get addicted, it never happens to you...but it does.
Did someone just compare quitting smoking to quitting heroin?
Watched this last night and totally agree with the OP - if the government showed this to every 12 year old in the UK I have no doubt it would have a huge impact on the present drug problem among young people and save countless lives that might otherwise have been lost to drugs.
Congratulations to the film makers and Ben's family - you have made an incredibly powerful and moving anti-drugs film and in doing so you have also prevented Ben's life being the terrible waste it otherwise would have been.
"I can see in the dark you know. I've been here quite a while!"
There is so much more to quitting opiates than "strength of character". The first problem is that it affects and grips each individual differently. There are jobless and lazy good for nothings who can do heroin when they get their government check each month and then not really miss it the other 29 days. There are all types of people who have no problem "putting it down", even when they find the experience enjoyable while doing it. And there are stories of hardened soldiers and marines, in SE Asia particularly who could live on bread and water and if they put their mind to the task could scale a mountain in their underwear if it took months and all they had was a toothpick and three socks. Yet these classically strong, mentally strong men find themselves so helpless in the cycle of opiate addiction that it destroys and takes their life. It is not willpower that will lead you from opiates, although it certainly plays a part.
There is no silver bullet for an answer. We get very single minded about programs like AA and replacement therapies like methadone have horrible stigmas attached, even though the latter arguably reduces more harm. Subutex is a newer drug that works by identical means yet does not yet have the horrible stigma. Unfortunately it is not as effective for some above moderate usage levels. It is very effective for some, but those are also the ones who may best succedd with a 12 step type program. A huge problem with AA/12 step is it is very religion heavy, which is fine if you're religious, but there's a can o' worms present if you want to claim you must use religion to cure addiction, and many courts do this.
Personally I was upset with his family for not only giving him everything he needed, but also asking nothing of him at all apparently. Not just allowing the drugs, but not having any responsibility at all just can't be a healthy situation. It's perpetual childhood.