Soberjunkie: Heroin Addiction and Recovery | Documentary Idea

by Patricia
(Cleveland, Ohio)


I'm interested in packing my things, traveling across 25 states (about 50% of our country,) and interviewing about 5 actively using heroin addicts, and 5 recovering heroin addicts per state.

I'd like to visit cities that are kind of off the radar, cities that people may not even know about, most definitely not hear much about.

As opposed to Detroit, Cleveland, New York, etc, where drug addiction, amongst other things of that nature, is "to be expected." My objective with this documentary is to raise awareness about heroin addiction existing everywhere, even in places where people wouldn't think it would be so prominent.

I would also like to emphasize that regardless of the addict's mental health, background, race, sexual orientation, education, childhood environment, etc etc etc, we all ended up in the same exact place. A dark vortex where nothing else matters except for the next high. Nothing, not your job, not your family, not your future.

Essentially, I am looking to make one big fundraising documentary. Eventually, I'd like to broadcast this documentary nationwide, who knows, maybe even worldwide, and raise money for halfway/three quarter and sober living houses. I believe in my heart that this could work and I believe that now is the time to do it, especially because of how aware everyone is about the epidemic.

The death rate of heroin overdoses, just in Ohio, is 1 person every 5 hours. That is unbelievable, and heroin related deaths have now topped car accident fatalities in America!


A little bit about myself:

I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and I've lived here my entire life. My parents did the best that they could to raise me with morals, values and goals.

I lived in Brecksville for most of my life and attended the school system there. I began experimenting with marijuana, alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs at the age of 12/13. By the time I was 17 years old, I was no longer attending public school, nor could I keep a job for more than a couple of months, and I was a full blown intravenous heroin user.

At the age of 19, I reached the darkest place of my life and I made the decision to take my life. In turn, I overdosed behind the wheel of a car and got into a horrible car accident in April of 2011. I almost killed 3 construction workers on the shoulder of the freeway by slamming into the truck they were standing in front of, and pinning them in between the truck that I hit and the truck in front of it.

It was estimated that I was driving over 70 miles per hour. Everybody was okay, I walked out of the vehicle with some hair ripped out of my head and a scratch on my face. Two of the workers didn't go to the hospital, they were okay, and the third one had a 2 cm laceration on his ankle and a sprained right knee.

I ended up going to the State Penitentiary for Women at the age of 20 years old. I spent a year of my life incarcerated, and I believe that if I didn't go to prison I'd probably be dead by now.

Heroin had such a strong hold on me that I was no longer making any decisions for myself at all, down to my nutrition, hygiene, and safety.

I was released in April of 2012, and I went to a halfway house in Brook Park, Ohio. I completed the 9 month program there, and I've been keeping up in my 12 step program ever since.

Hopefully, I will have 3 years sober in November of this year. Now it's time to show people that there is a way out and that they can do it. If this doesn't work, at least I would have potentially helped at least a couple of heroin addicts across the country and maybe given them a little hope for a better life.

Comments for Soberjunkie: Heroin Addiction and Recovery | Documentary Idea

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May 15, 2016
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Pass my info to someone you know that can help
by: Michael McCoy

My name is Michael McCoy I live in Louisville Kentucky recovering heroin addict pill addict adrenaline junkie documentary filmmaker ex-convict father of 5 thugged-out weed nerd Guerilla grower Suboxone research monkey I need someone to help me as soon as possible contact me and I could help you with some contacts in Louisville KY the herion scene herebis off the chain.

May 15, 2016
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Thugged out weed nerds
by: McCoy

In in Louisville KY and the herion scene collides with pillbilly weed growers. Contact me on Facebook gabe McCoy or email at michaelDmccoy37@gmail.com.

Mar 31, 2015
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simular situation
by: tom

Hey, I am a film maker/songwriter. I have been through opiate addiction and am now clean, I've been wanting to make a film on this topic. I have all the top quality equipment needed to make any type of film. Including a crew. If this is still something you are interested in, I'd like to discuss a colab. On this.
I live in florida, the pill industry here is astranomical. It's absolutely insane and something needs to be done.

If your interested please shoot me an email and we can talk more! Thanks!

Tomdenneymusic@gmail.com

Nov 20, 2014
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Gone through something similar and many things to tell.
by: Sharanya


This is something that i always wanted to..please tell me how can i help... my id is sharanyak05@gmail.com please write to me..lets do this.. I have Faith !!

Oct 06, 2014
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The world needs to see this
by: Elly Starr

Patricia I really hope you get a chance to make this film. Its a subject that really needs to be brought to everyone's awareness. I was an IV h user from 13 - 27yrs of age. I got clean right before I turned 28 and god willing I will celebrate 4yrs clean Dec 7 this year. If I made films this is also the film I'd want make. I'd love to share my story with you and help you make this film a reality. Feel free to email me @ lolly.b.starr@gmail.com.
Elly

Sep 13, 2014
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I want to help
by: Kelli

I have wanted to do this for a long time. How can I help??

Jul 25, 2014
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RE:
by: Patricia

I have been saving as much money as possible with managing to support myself for once in my life. I haven't even got a camera yet. But I have hope!!!

Jul 23, 2014
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Take action
by: Desktop Documentaries

Hi Patricia,

Thanks for sharing your story and your documentary idea. This is a fantastic idea and I hope you will move forward with it. Making a documentary is not easy, but it's worth it if it can change lives along the way.

Here's what you need to do. Start shooting asap! Put the camera in front of yourself and record yourself telling your story (exactly as you told it above) -- this is something you can do today. Find ANYONE else who's been/is a heroin addict and interview them on camera.

Don't wait until you have all the money or have scheduled your trip or have everything perfectly in place. Start small. Make it your goal to produce a 1-3 minute trailer (you can use free footage from archive.org) and use THAT as your fundraising trailer to gather support to make a bigger story.

Please Patricia, do this! And check back here with your progress. You have an amazing story that should be told.

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