So I'm watching this doc about heroin addiction..20 minutes in, and already one guy who was clean for 33 days, and a mother clean for 3 years..

A double edged sword - my choice of destruction was alcohol. But I have to talk about my addiction frequently or the old rose tinted rear view mirror takes over and l will go back. I've sadly seen many relapse after periods of sobriety, sadder still I've attended many funerals of those who succumbed.

Another reminder to put my recovery before anything else.

Addiction can be complicated,yep.
There's nothing on earth that quite compares to the dopamine hit of a good load of dope.
But there are ways to identify the triggers and emotional malaise which signal relapse and honestly talking about them can really help keep those monsters in the cage,as it were.
No amount of euphoric recall can convince me that my old life was better or that things will be magically different if I use again.I need to recognize that my disease contains a chronic relapsing component that can reawaken if I'm not honest , willing and openminded about my emotional issues.
It takes the power away from my misguided thinking if I share about it openly and often.
I'll take time to listen and help anyone struggling with this anytime and that alone can help me through some very trying situations.

Maybe we need to stop being over the top with praise, when people break free from it. Saying "It's amazing that you're clean" can dissolve into "It's OK not to be". This is how I treat giving up drinking. I tell myself it's good that I quit, but that it's 'normal', not incredible.

it breaks my heart seeing first hand people in my city and surrounding 'burbs get caught up in heroin and other opioids....i ask myself....why!!!!

Probably not the best idea. Then again none of the addicts I know even think they have a problem so at least they had some brief relief.

Not everyone gets saved. You can only hope that her death serves as a sobering reminder to others