Staind – It's Been Awhile lyrics

I always thought it was about drg addiction. However, an amusing story. While dj'ing a high school dance once I was confronted by a female teacher/chaperone. The middle-age woman was quite outraged that I would play such a filthy song. Mind you, I was playing the "clean" radio edit. Teach it seems, was quite constipated over the line in the song "I can still remember just the way you taste", insisting that it was referring to oral s*. When I calmly explained the real meaning, the drug addicition, she said "well, thats entirely different" and walked off. I guess at that particular school illegal drugs are fine, but don't you dare go down on your girlfriend! Lol.

Its about that moment of clarity when an addict realizes that the drugs are not the problem, the addict is, and no matter how messed up your life has been you have the power within to change. Its about making amends for the poor decisions youve made and finally taking an honest look at your life and owning your part in it. Its about starting over. This is a very personal take on a very public problem. And from this addicts seat here in my little room, the whole world could learn a valuable lesson from aaron. Addicted or not!

I think it means all the stuff going on in your life and you can't handle it so you need a escape from all the crap in your life, so this song is reaching out to all the people who is going trough break up, or divorce, or whatever is going on in their life, and it's making them feel better, personally I listen to this song whenever I feel down in my life and I need an escape, and it helps me!

I am a recovering addict who has battled with addiction for as long as I can remember. Before the drugs it was alcohol. I started using drugs when I met my ex. Our entire relationship was a constant war within our own minds of wanting to save our relationship, but then wanting to feel anything but ordinary too.
After years of physically and mentally abusing one another, we came to the conclusion that our relationship was toxic and destructive and we went our separate ways, both of us taking on the battle with addiction.

When I got clean and started seeing the world through brand new eyes, everything in my life started to blossom. It was almost as if I was given a brand new start. I met someone and fell in love with him almost instantly. I believed that he was my soul mate and this was the life that I was always meant to live. Things were perfect. For a while.

Much like a virus, my addiction was still there and it wasn't long before it started rearing its ugly head. I tried to push it away for the longest time thinking about what I had to lose. But the day came that I was weak and with one phone call and a 3 day binge I lost the love of my life.

"It's been a while since I could hold my head up high" - referring to how much shame he feels.
"It's been a while since I first saw you" - could be referring to the drug or the other person.
"It's been a while since I could stand on my own two feet" - could be referring to feeling "normal" without the drug and/or other person.
'Its been a while since I could call you' - again I the person and/or the drug.
"It's been a while since I've gone and f**ked things up just like I always do" - this part could not be more accurate. This is exactly what goes through my mind on a daily basis.
"But all that sh*t seems to disappear when I'm with you" - when I was with him, all the shame I felt disappeared. But in the same breath, it also went away when I used.
"It's been a while since I could say I loved myself as well" - I love him and I loved the drugs, but I never loved myself.
"It's been a while since I said I'm sorry" - I begged for one more chance and apologized more than I ever have. But also its been a while because I haven't used in a while and haven't had to.

"Since I've seen the way the candles light your face" - candle lit dinners and baths. But also using in candle light.
"I can still remember just the way you taste" - again, I can remember the taste of his kisses and his skin. I can also remember the disgusting taste of chemicals.

'i can not blame this on my father, he did the best he could for me' - addicts would inherently Shift the blame, before we would ever take responsibility for our actions.

Anyway, this is just my understanding of the song. The words are beautiful.

It's about heroin. Everything he describes has to do with how the drug makes you feel. Its been a while since I could hold my head up high. Cuz on heroin ur always nodding off & also how you lose control and f*k- up your life. You even forget something as simple as how someone you love looks in the candlelight. It's about his personal addiction. I heard he wrote it when he got clean.