I totally understand where you're coming from. Loving your friend is not a bad thing. Don't ever stop loving her.

I am a heroin addict myself. Sometimes drug-free and sometimes in full blown addiction. Heroin is a monkey on her back. If she could get clean she'd be 1,000 X happier.

She's is lucky that you care. I wish I had the same type of friend. My friends do wish I'd change but they only give me very tough love. They feed me, take me to Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and tell me the truth about my addiction. They tell me how bad I look. They don't feel sorry for me when I'm arrested for drug offenses or prostitution. They tell me about how to change. They tell me what it takes to get my life back. When I'm using they distance themselves because they're afraid I'll die. But they are there for me if I need them. That is love.

If your friend continues abusing Heroin all of her "not yets" will become her reality. I had to sell my body because the heroin habit got to be so expensive ($120-$150/day). That's when she'll begin to wish she were dead. Especially if she's arrested for doing sex work and it's on her arrest record.

The nature of addiction is progressive and fatal. Heroin is the King of illicit drug Addictions and it is the most progressive and the most fatal (Except alcohol and prescription pain killers).

Progressive means it only get worse and takes more heroin to get high. Fatal is self-explanatory. She will probably die from heroin addiction unless she stops. Either as a direct result, like overdosing, or as an indirect result, like contracting hepatitis B/C or even HIV. She may be killed by a heroin dealer. She may be raped like so many of friends have been.

Do her the biggest favor you could possibly do for anyone, get her some help.

Lovingly,
Lauren Ann