It’s what I advise a lot of parents to do: it’s just the hardest thing that you can ever do—but if you want to save their lives it’s what you’ve got to do: it’s tough love.
Being involved in peer support groups—with people who knew exactly what it was like to work in a setting with access to medications—was the key for me to be able to get solid in my recovery.
I’m still growing, but I do not fight addiction anymore. It’s been conquered in the blood of Jesus and through my testimony.
I am proud of who I have become. I am proud of being an active member of society. I have a job now. I’ve served meals at the city mission as a reminder of where I don’t want to put myself again.
If I didn’t share my story for the next person who was walking in my shoes, people might forget to dream, to have hope, to have friends. I used to push everybody out. Now, I want those things.
My five-year-old son looked at me and said, “Mommy, you’re doing great. I’m proud of you.”
I just feel like anything you go through in addiction can be overcome with recovery. They always say that your best day in addiction is still worse than your worst day in recovery, because it’s still a bad day. And I had to forgive myself, I had to ask for forgiveness from others, but you can overcome it and everything does get better.
What we go through makes us the people we are today. It turns us into strong people. You can be open and not regret what you’ve been through. It’s important to talk about your struggles and work the steps. You can be free again.
Movable is partnering with New Ohio Review, a national literary journal, on a writing contest.
Read moreOn September 18, Movable staff joined a number of local recovery organizations at Magic Island in Charleston, WV, for the 2021 GLOW RUN 5K event.