???
I would love some input on this. I was reading Tori's blog and in it she mentioned how her son's clothes had that lingering smell, and someone told her it was impossible to wash out. Her friend told her that the smell was often a trigger (wow, that would explain a lot, but I know I can't blame all his relapses on his clothes!).
Keven's clothes still have an icky black tar heroin smell - like burnt vinegar mixed with sweat and oil in a frying pan that's been left on the stove too long. I have tried everything to wash it out. Every time he goes to jail I jump at the chance to bring all his clothes home and wash the heck out of them but it never leaves. I've tried every type of "odor killing" detergent and nothing has worked.
Well I just read on a forum for users* that the gross smell comes mostly when they are detoxing, it comes out in their sweat. And that some users who know that it comes out of their pores try not to sweat to stay high longer and prevent dope sicknesses....its even why some of them choose NOT to SHOWER!!!! (I just assumed that was cause he was too busy buying dope, getting high, being high and coming down to bother with a shower).
Does anyone know much about this? Is there a way to get that smell out? I was not 100% sure heroin was causing the scent but now I am. I love hugging my son but I hate that smell. If I had money I'd buy him new clothes just for my own sake.
Even laundry/clothing is affected by this damn drug. Ugh.
Peace, Hope and Love, Barbara
*P.S. It was very unsettling to discover a site for heroin users to talk about their love affair with it. One guy was asking advise on how to shoot up the first time because he wanted the full affect - no smoking it for him. He couldn't wait to try it even though he knew how dangerous it was. SAD. Sad. sad.
18 comments:
I never heard of this. Don't recall a heroin smell either..
Andrew still wears some of the same clothes. A trigger? Sounds like another excuse to me.
I never heard of it till today, other than assuming that the smell I was smelling was somehow related to drugs. I'm hoping I'll get more comments about this.
As for it being a trigger...I'm sure its right up there with "but the sky is blue and it triggers me. Oh, and when the sky is gray I get triggered too....and in rain, heat, snow....." You can't escape triggers, Keven once told me the biggest trigger for him is himself.
I have heard of the smell from black tar heroin but I'm not sure if the regular heroin actually has a smell. Barbara do you know if it does?
Barbara, I was just looking at the pics you posted in 2009 of Kevin's bedroom, the room looks beautiful. What kind of paint did you use on the walls? I really like it, it seems to have a nice texture to it and high gloss which would be easy for cleaning. If you could let me know that would be great. Thanks!
That's it! Black tar heroin is in Cali and the Southwest. Andrew told me it was different stuff. He found out when he was in rehab in Newport. It comes from Mexico. Detroit has regular(!) heroin, it comes from Afghanistan, and Middle East. It does not have a smell.
Lou, aha! That IS it. I have never seen anything but black tar, although I know Keven has used both kinds, you're right all our drugs are delivered from right next door, Mexico.
I had no idea the other kind didn't smell! I guess the other kind doesn't leave black greasy marks all over the house either or those black lines on the foil?
I knew black tar had an odor but I didn't know the part about it coming out of your pores and leaching onto your clothes, I just knew his clothes smell weird.
Erin, I will ask my sister about the paint, she did all the work on that room. Ironically he hardly ever lived in it and it, but it was a nice gesture of her to do that for him. :)
Johnson's baby shampoo. Actually dissolves the sweat. Don't really know why, but it does. Follow with downy REGULAR.
Thanks Barbara!
We should have just thought to ask Dawn in the first place! lol She is awesome! I will go get baby shampoo. That is really interesting.
Yes all of our H is from Mexico it is quite a service they have for addicts over here.
I am still floored over the baby shampoo. Too bad it didn't take out the H stains too! :O
By the way a couple of former, long time recovered addicts told me about the smell. Of course there are a lot of triggers but that just seemed like a major thing that they felt was important since they are super sensitive to the smell and it would be on them all day.
Thanks, Dawn!!!! (Tori you're right, just should have went to the expert :)
This is very interesting. Thanks for the post and the responses.
While the east coast heroin doesn't actually smell....their everyday detox sweat is awful...and It's almost a burnt smell as well. Also, there are vomit smells that linger in their clothes, kind of sour-milk smell..
I will also try the baby shampoo
Oy, smells are definitely a trigger. Even the smell of cigarettes trigger me because I used to chain smoke when I was high.
My ex and I would detox in his room every now and then (when things didn't go as planned), and the bed smelled awful. Vinegar mixed with sweat is a good way to describe it, definitely a pungent smell. I suppose it makes sense that your body is expelling all that waste--and waste never smells good.
I would rarely shower on drugs because I was either high and nodding out, or else I was dopesick and any type of texture on my skin was uncomfortable, sometimes even painful.
That 'dopesick' smell was never a conscious trigger for me, but I suppose if it reminds your son of being dopesick, even subconsciously, that could be a trigger in itself... I hope not.
I'd say lots and lots of dryer sheets. My mom has these dryer sheets she used to use when we were kids, and the smell always reminds me of her. Every time I think of my mom, I don't want to do drugs, so...
You can use the dyer sheets in the actual dryer, but if you're really aiming to conceal a smell, I would put a dryer sheet in between the layers of clothes once they are folded and tucked away. That really helps to mask odors...
Hope this helps :)
Gen X, that does help, thanks! Its sweet that fabric sheets remind you of your mom and that thinking of her makes you not want to use. The scent of Acqua Di Gio reminds me of my son.
Barb-
I was doing some research and happen to come across this website and read your post regarding proactive sites on the internet available to current users. It is such a shame that this is even legal and that our judicial system doesn't step in and somehow monitor these websites. I think Heroin is one of the worst out there and I have been struggling with my brother, a heroin addict, who is currently in the process of detox. The odor is awful. I know this blog is for parents of addicts, however we don't have any parents, they have both passed. My brother is one year older than me and is the only relative I have left, so I've been doing my best to keep him sober. I will say a prayer for your son.
God Bless
Anonymous,
THANK YOU for dropping by. This blog is not just for parents, its for anyone to learn, to share, to support. You are more than welcome here and I hope you come back again and update on your brother. I'm so sorry to hear that you are struggling with this alone, its not easy.
https://www.facebook.com/addictsmom is a great FB site for those who are looking for more connections.
I cannot tell if my post re: "7 Weeks to Sobriety" was submitted for approval as I forgot to leave my name following the post.
I'll post this short version, but www.7weekstosobriety.com is a great resource to understand the triggers that trips up the addict. You speak of 'scents' - this book addresses that certain professions - i.e. painters, auto mechanics, some factory odors, etc., can make it easier for addicts to fail as it surrounds them as they don't realize the trigger. The entire book is on that site, chapter by chapter, and obviously is available to order.
In the mind/body connection, it is a natural that drugs and alcohol break down the body, so adding in herbal support helps in restoring the health of the body. Bookmark this site and keep it to refer to. Passages Malibu also uses herbal support to help the body find balance and restoration.
The book gives hope and brings a broader understanding of how drugs and alcohol abuse can begin, and how to help restore the body to health and sanity.
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