I’m 6.5 years clean and sober after a 9 year battle with drug addiction. A couple of years ago I started creating abstract art, and now it’s a big part of my life.

On the left of this piece, the baggie and it’s contents represent how I used to see drugs - magical, amazing, joyous, euphoric, liberating, spectacular.

On the right of this piece, the baggie and it’s contents represent how I see drugs now. I used 4 symbols for this:

1. Arrows going round in a circle - To represent the vicious cycle of drug addiction
2. Tear drops - To represent the sadness, depression and desperation that addiction causes
3. Lightning bolt - To represent the overwhelming power of drug addiction
4. A downwards arrow - To represent the continuous downwards trajectory that occurs when caught in active addiction

I named this piece “Wisdom to know the difference” because today I am grateful to truly understand what drugs entail for me. I no longer believe the lie that drugs offer me anything other than pain, misery, despair and regret.