The surprising face of Australia’s ice crisis: How corporate worker, 29, was spending $1000 a week on meth and shooting up in the bathroom at work , leaving her homeless and selling drugs to support her habit
- Tahlia Adams, 29, was a ‘high-functioning addict’ who used ice for a decade
- Ms Adams held down senior finance roles and completed a business degree
- The lifestyle was not maintainable and Ms Adams was eventually left homeless
- To try and get out of the situation, she began to sell drugs before her arrest
A 29-year-old former corporate worker and ‘high-functioning addict’ has revealed how she spent $1000 a week on ice before becoming homeless.
Tahlia Adams said she was using ice for a decade but was able to complete a business degree, work full-time in senior finance roles and maintain a stable relationship.
‘Nobody in my daily life would have ever thought that I was using ice. Nobody,’ she told the ABC.
Ms Adams would take a hit before work, during her lunch break and when she got home in the evening.
Tahlia Adams said she was using ice for a decade but was able to complete a business degree, work full-time in senior finance roles and maintain a stable relationship
‘People think that an ice user is somebody who’s crazy, like the crazy homeless person. Or the people who are stealing cars, or robbing old people,’ she said.
While Ms Adams was able to function while dependent on ice, she admitted it was impossible to maintain her lifestyle.
Eventually she lost her house and her partner while she was ‘still hooked on ice’.
Out of options, the 29-year-old started to sell drugs in a bid to support herself and get out of the situation she was in.
‘And it just was the worst mistake of my life, because now, my life’s changed forever,’ she said.
In 2017, Ms Adams was arrested in Queensland – where police aren’t able to move ice addicts to rehabilitation facilities.
Ms Adam would take a hit before work, during her lunch break and when she got home in the evening (stock image)
Ms Adams ended up serving a jail sentence but believes treatment would have been a better option for her.
She admits her ‘destructive’ behaviour during her encounter with police led to further charges.
It’s now been three months since Ms Adams was released from jail and she remains in recovery.
She said recovery is ‘great’ but she wishes she made better decisions earlier on as her former addiction affects ‘every part’ of her life.
Ms Adams said she is struggling to get a job or car insurance and her life is ‘changed forever’ from her mistakes.
Out of options, the 29-year-old started to sell drugs in a bid to support herself and get out of the situation she was in (stock image)