Legal troubles are often part of these stories. In Indonesia, drug use and trafficking are illegal. So, those involved in drugs often end up in jail or facing severe legal consequences, which further ruins their lives and the lives of those around them.
One story is about a young Indonesian who got involved with drugs. He started with marijuana, thinking it was harmless. But soon he was addicted to harder drugs like heroin. His family noticed his drastic weight loss, constant sickness, and erratic behavior. Eventually, he lost his job, his friends abandoned him, and his family was heartbroken seeing him deteriorate day by day.
The unknown is a very scary element. In stories like that of the Kuntilanak, you never really know when or where she will appear. She could be lurking near a banana tree waiting to strike.
Another horror story involves the Leyak. The Leyak is a witch - like creature that can detach its head and fly around at night in search of pregnant women. It is believed to have long nails and a long tongue, and it preys on the life force of the unborn child. This story has been passed down for generations in Indonesia, scaring people especially during the night.
I knew someone who tried LSD. His experience was a nightmare. He started having a 'bad trip' where he felt like he was falling into an endless void. He couldn't distinguish between what was real and what was the drug - induced hallucination. His heart was racing uncontrollably, and he was sweating profusely. He thought he was going to die. It took him a long time to recover both physically and mentally from that one LSD use.
Addiction is a very common element. Once people start taking drugs, they often can't stop, like in the case of heroin addicts. Another is the destruction of relationships. Family and friends are pushed away as the drug - user becomes more self - centered in getting their fix.
One horror story is about a patient who experienced severe tremors on lithium. It was so bad that they couldn't hold a pen or a cup properly. Another is a case where a person had significant weight gain, like over 50 pounds in a few months while on lithium, which led to self - esteem issues and depression.
There was a case where a young person got involved with ice. It quickly ruined their physical health. Their teeth decayed, they lost a lot of weight in an unhealthy way, and they constantly had skin problems. Mentally, they became paranoid and had hallucinations, which led them to be a danger to themselves and others. They were once a bright student with a promising future, but ice destroyed all that.
There was a drug rehab where they cut corners on treatment. They promised individualized treatment plans but instead put everyone through the same basic and ineffective routine. The food was inedible, which affected the patients' physical condition negatively. Also, there was a lack of privacy. People were constantly watched in an invasive way, which made them feel more like prisoners than patients trying to get better.
One horror story is when a false positive occurred during a job - related drug test. A person who had been taking a completely legal over - the - counter medication was flagged as having drugs in their system. It almost cost them their job as they had to go through a long and stressful process to prove their innocence. They had to provide medical records and wait for additional tests, all while their employer was skeptical.