A BODYBUILDER who became addicted to meth was left unrecognisable and plagued with health problems as the horrors of the dangerous drug almost ruined his and his families lives.
The devastating before and after photos were shared online by his heartbroken mother who dubbed him the “face of heroin and meth”.
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The difference between the photos is stark, sending a warning to the public about how severe addiction can be.
Jennifer Salfen-Tracy shared the pictures in 2019 as a wake-up call on the sweeping issues of drug abuse that’s been ripping through the US for the last decade.
The first image shows a healthy and happy 26-year-old Cody Bishop.
In the second image, the same man is completely unrecognisable, looking gaunt and covered in sores.
In a Facebook post Jennifer told about her son’s struggle with addiction, saying: “These pictures were taken seven months apart.
“That is how fast someone is affected.”
Meth is known as “speed” or “crank” for its ability to give people a false sense of energy.
It can cause a person to lose weight quickly and lead to dental problems, skin sores and other health issues.
The dangerous drug also severely damages the brain, causing memory loss, paranoia and even psychosis.
Jennifer shared that she had not heard from Cody in weeks as he was still homeless in Los Angeles.
She admitted to not being able to sleep at night out of worry of the unknown.
The distressed mother was determined to spread awareness and offer comfort to those going through the same.
She said: “I have learned along this path that so many people and families deal with the same heartache but just do not talk about it.”
More than 106,000 people in the US died from drug-involved overdose in 2021, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
“This is a true issue in our world today that we need to pull together and focus on to fix instead of the government worrying about and spending all their money on throwing each other under the bus,” she wrote.
Later, Jennifer posted an update that Cody has been found alive and well, and has started his rehabilitation at the facility.
A year after Cody started his road to recovery, his mother joyfully shared his progress.
Jennifer said: “The road has not been easy for him or all of us involved but I could never be more thankful for having my son alive and sober today.”
She added that Cody was working full-time and reunited with his family and daughters.
She said: “I have my son back, my kids have their brother back and my Granddaughters have their Daddy!
“I would now like to say that Cody is the ‘Face of Recovery’ instead of ‘The face of Heroin and Meth’.”
Cody also spoke out on the matter, confirming that he is still sober.
He posted in October, sharing a quote: “I did drugs.
“Sure I did.
“I was a junkie.
“That’s a fact.
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“But I also found recovery.
“Gossip about that.”
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