One Love Purpose Start-Up

When you hear “drug-induced psychosis,” what comes to your mind? Some might recall their own stories experiencing hallucinations, seeing “shadow people.” Some might even laugh, thinking of times they just “got too high” and had crazy thoughts, ideas, even conspiracy theories.

Many might see it as just a regular thing that happens when you use drugs, but what many people don’t know is that for some people, psychosis symptoms can last even after substances are out of their system.

And there is another part of drug-induced psychosis that I don’t think we know or talk about enough… and that’s the danger of it.

Ten years ago, I didn’t know what drug psychosis was. Sure, I had seen it, but I didn’t have a name for it, and I didn’t think much of it. That started to change, though, as I watched my boyfriend, Joe, go through it. He thought people were after him. He would wake up at night with this scared look on his face, asking me if I was a part of and helping the people that were after him. I’d reassure him each time he woke up, telling him that I’d never let anyone hurt him and that he was safe. At one point, he drove 90 down a 30 mph road because he thought a car was following us, but there was no one behind us. I knew something was wrong… but then he’d come back to himself and assure me that he was fine, that his brain was healing, he just needed time. Still, I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was really wrong. I cried to the social worker that was trying to help him get into treatment. I tried to explain what was happening, but WHAT WAS happening?? I even went to the police and asked for help. The officer actually laughed and told me, “He’ll be fine, it sounds like someone just got too high,” but he wasn’t high. I went against what my gut was telling me and thought maybe I am just overreacting… that he would be fine… but he wasn’t fine. On October 4th, 2014, he killed himself. In his goodbye letter, he stated that there were people coming to kill him, and he wanted to do it before they could.

THIS is the danger of drug-induced psychosis, this is the part that needs to be talked about. Had I known… if the other people helping him had known… if he himself had known just how bad it could get, maybe he could have gotten the help he needed before it was too late. Maybe if we hadn’t believed this whole idea that someone just “gets too high” because, like I said before, the truth is that drug-induced psychosis can last weeks, months, and in extreme cases, YEARS after the drugs are out of their system. When someone is experiencing psychosis, they are experiencing a BREAK from reality, and they could be a danger to themselves and/or others. I want to raise awareness to help these people BEFORE something bad happens.

In the years since Joe’s passing, I’ve learned so much more about psychosis, and I’ve realized it is hugely misunderstood by most and still seen as a joke to many. I’m here to let people know, there’s really nothing funny about it. It’s time we remember that these are people, experiencing a break from reality, and they need our help.

I’ve decided to start a non-profit, naming it “One Love” after something Joe said often.

It will take some time before it’s established, and it will cost $2775 to start it up, which is why I am making this GoFundMe.

As a start, I hope to collect and share stories on our Facebook page from others who have experienced the dangers of drug-induced psychosis and raise awareness in different communities, especially in ones where people are interacting closely with those battling addiction. I’d also like to work with detoxes to see what, if any, protocol they have when it’s time for someone to be discharged but they are still experiencing psychosis. Eventually, I plan to have a 24/7 phone line that people can call for help to get into detoxes, treatments, and mental health facilities. My BIG dream is to someday have my own facility where those experiencing psychosis can come and hear the same thing I said to Joe those times he woke up in fear… “You’re safe here… I won’t let anyone hurt you…”

You can also support by following One Love Purpose page on Facebook, (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568894212495&mibextid=JRoKGi) it’s new but will be growing more every day! Thank you for your donations and support!!!!!

Joe, we may have lost this battle, but I won’t stop fighting. May your story live on and help the people that need it before it’s too late… ❤️ Forever One Love