That's thankfully true. Nobody in my close circle has such issues. People with such problems were always friends-of-friends or "that neighbor of that aunt of that friend".
The daughter of a family in my expanded circle was struggling with drugs at some point in her late teens. I don't know how it was as we rarely spoke and her parents were not open about it.
What I know is that eventually she moved to a different city, started a family and has a very decent job. I am friends with her at facebook but it's more the "happy birthday!" once per year kind.
The ex-husband of a cousin of my mother (divorced for like 30 years) was addicted and we suspect he was the one that broke into my aunt's house a couple of times. I have never seen that man in person. Just hear that he exists.
And that's the extend of my real-time exposure to the issues this game touches.
I was not trashing the game friend!
What I meant to convey is that at least as it seems right now, I would play even if there was no sex in it. If it wasn't for the disclaimer that you know what you're talking about in the game, I would have probably considered it extreme.
In the game (still first chapter) there's another woman (Mary) that seems to ... better manage the addiction. The one the MC calls naïve for leaving drugs on the table before she goes to the bathroom.
What is more... stunning in a way, is the
way this is presented. TV shows or movies about such issues certainly exist and I bet some would be realistic and all. But they would be dark and sad etc. etc.
So far this game... it doesn't take a fatalistic, dark approach. Your commentary (at least in the 1st chapter) seems to be a bit dark and bubble-breaking but generally the game is
not dark and brooding. It has its ups and downs.
Things are good and you watch two young people fucking and then you see them selling the grandma's ring and vomiting in alley... and then you see them watching movies, talking about how a steamy BJ could have turned to a threesome and avoid talking about how they could afford the drugs.
It's... unique. It is
honest, I would say. Something like "This is how the life of some addicts is, without effort to make it seem bleak or gloss over the issues. Whether it is worse or better than you thought, that's what it is. And that's what addiction means - at least for those two."
I honestly would suggest that, after you finish the game, you should make a PG15+ version of it for steam, so I can send it to friends. Honestly, it can't be that hard to cut the adult parts; fade to black to the sex scenes should do it.
As for my patronage, I am very low tier patron, no need to thank me.
PS. I love your self-references in the game. They make me laugh.