It’s a wry, sad sort of joke to point out that in America’s War on Drugs, the drugs have definitely won.

Decades of attempting to fight destructive addiction through an uneven system of punishments and shame have, shockingly, not helped. Because they miss the mark on what addiction is all about in the first place.

Many try a far more compassionate approach, but with all the pressures and dangers that come along with admitting you have a problem – much less addressing it – that’s not an easy road either.

Here are the experiences of just a few anonymous contributors.

10. “Surprising my mom on Mother’s Day.”

What an unforgettable holiday that will be.

Source: Whisper

9. “He is so manipulative”

Once the addiction starts doing the talking, ordinary people can become con artists real quick.

Source: Whisper

8. “She thinks there’s no problem”

Believe it or not, there’s more than one way a person can cause trouble.

Source: Whisper

7. “Made matters worse”

That’s gotta be so painful.

Source: Whisper

6. “She’s running her life”

It gets so much worse when there are kids involved.

Source: Whisper

5. “He walked off”

And who knows where he roamed to.

Source: Whisper

4. “He gets really mean”

It can be downright dangerous.

Source: Whisper

3. “I hope it’s not too late”

As long as she’s still with us, it’s not.

Source: Whisper

2. “Ruin our friendship”

Sometimes you have to hurt someone a little in order to protect them.

Source: Whisper

1. “I think we finally got through”

Sometimes people just don’t know what’s going on until they hear it from another perspective.

Source: Whisper

What a terrible burden to carry.

Have you had an experience with this?

Tell us in the comments.