I started taking substances at a very young age.
I was 10 years old, and I thought drugs were the answer I needed. I didn’t have a horrible childhood, but I had some horrible instances and periods of time growing up. Drugs made me forget every horrible thing/moment that happened in my life. I started using drugs here and there but I enjoyed how they made me feel too much, so I ended up using them daily very quickly.
Everything about my drug use progressed for 24 years. I went from smoking to popping pills to snorting substances. After none of that was enough, I went on to the more “harsh” drugs. After doing the “harsh” drugs for about a year, I wanted to get even more high so, I started using a needle. Addiction caused nothing but havoc in my life. I lost custody of my children for a period of time. I lost every place I had to live. Every vehicle I owned, I either sold, or I couldn’t afford to keep it.
For about five years straight, I ended up living couch surfing, on the streets or in a vehicle. I started getting in trouble with the law and landed myself in jail about 14 different times. I was on the run for about two years. When I got caught and received more charges on my name, I knew something had to change.
I ended up doing over a year in county jail and during that time, I knew I needed help to reach the other side of this disease. I mean, I was doing drugs while I was in jail. Jail wasn’t the answer I needed for the help I needed. While I was in jail, I decided to apply for Drug Court, and was accepted. I felt something in my heart change when I was presented with my approval letter.
After getting released from jail, I tried so hard to stay clean and to do what was expected of me in Drug Court. It wasn’t enough for me though. I relapsed and got sent to treatment. Treatment was where the change started for me.
I was introduced to MAT (medication-assisted treatment), a program that could help me with my drug addiction problem. I started taking Suboxone and stayed on that for a few months. My life started to change, and I started to graduate to higher phases in Drug Court. I gained employment and bought my first vehicle with “clean money”. I was moving forward for the first time in over 20 years of my life. It felt good, and I wanted to keep this feeling in my life. I kept working on my recovery and fixing the mess I had made of my life. I have been in recovery now for three years. My recovery journey started on 6-26-20.
I moved to Louisville and joined the AppleGate Recovery family in June of 2022. During the time I have been part of AppleGate Recovery, I got married to the love of my life. I have joint custody of my children, and I am able to provide for them more than I ever have. I recently bought a new vehicle, my credit score is now considered good, and my husband and I have moved into our first house together. I am a full-time student going for my Associate of Science in Public Service Management, and I have received two promotions at my current job. My life has changed completely for the better, and I owe the change to MAT and the support of a 12-step program.