Thank you whoever created this site. Brilliant! I don't know where to start, I will probably be putting up many posts. I have been dabbling some over @ all nurses site, whining on there a bit. Let me tell ya, everybody does not except addiction, and some don't have encouraging words for it. Maybe I should talk about my story some. I was always a partier, street drugs, everything but needles, no meth, but about everything else. I got into maost trouble before becoming a nurse. I am currently an LPN on peobation in school, and don't worry it WILL WORK OUT! I have talked to people who were certified counselors that don't know how to address these things and don't know my BONs guidelines , rules or laws, I must say they have been fair with me. Some folks would say and I have seen it that they have no place for the addicts. well some addicts have it together more than the others. I'm talking truly recovering people. I know that word is terribly misleading ...I just know it when you say addict it sounds like you just goot in from injecting drugs into your arm out in the alley. I made repeated mistakes before I ever thought of becoming a nurse, 3 DUIs ,last one becomes a felony, went to court, did 1 yr home confinement, 1 yr probation , went to nursing school ,started out on probation because of the past DUIs, was not nursing related, messed up again got busted on local hosp drug test, marijuana stays in you for 30 days, not a justification , just I didnt go to work impaired. license revoked, back to counseling IOP, $$$$$, and all things required, AA NA everything I needed to do now here I am still on probation having much trouble getting work. This is getting long . I will cut it off for now and write more later WE are not in this alone. People shaking their heads.