Sal was born on April 11, 1984, two months premature. As my sister-in-law stated after his passing “he came into this world early and left early.” Sal was an absolute beautiful child with a heart of gold. He was truly an old soul.” If you met Sal once, you were his friend forever. These next...Read More

As the Anchorage Wellness Court recognized Catherine Adcock for her strides in addiction recovery, Deb Hageter watched from the back of the room. She stood to support her new friend. She’d triggered Catherine’s arrest years earlier. Deb, a pharmacist in Palmer, Alaska, made a phone call that led to dozens of prescription fraud and drug...Read More

I used to think drug addicts were uneducated people who stood on the street corners and begged for money and just didn’t know any better. I learned that wasn’t the case. I didn’t become addicted overnight, but once addiction took ahold of me, my downward spiral was fast and hard! I grew up with parents...Read More

I have struggled with a Substance Use Disorder from a very young age.  I started drinking and smoking weed when I was 10 years old.  I was being abused outside of my home and because my home life was so chaotic I didn’t have anyone I could turn to for help.  My father was an...Read More

My story starts 20 years ago, when I was 10 or 11 years old.  I remember this feeling of being inadequate, that I was never be good enough, smart enough, etc.  I have always held myself to a standard and felt that somehow I needed to be punished.  So, as drugs were introduced to me...Read More

Tonight makes the fourth time that I’ve sat down to tell my story. Every story has a beginning, and for me to narrow down my addiction story to its origin is difficult. The first time I got drunk I was 18 years old and light years behind other kids my age when it came to...Read More

I’m Brooke, and I am a person in recovery from drug addiction. I have suffered from addiction for 10+ years. I have been addicted to meth, opiates, and heroin within those ten years. They say addiction takes you three places: jails, institutions, and death… I have been to all of those places but one, and...Read More

About ten years ago, I thought I was destined to die an alcoholic and drug addict; and I was ok with that. In fact, I was proud of how much I could drink. Then I found meth and lived in a drug-induced psychosis; I was the center of attention and the life of the party....Read More

My name is Erin and I am a women in long term recovery from substance use disorder.  What that means to me is that I have not found it necessary to use any mind altering, mood changing substance since November 10, 2014. A lot of people would ask…ok? So what’s the difference?  By living a...Read More

I don’t write as someone in recovery from addiction.  I write as one in recovery from my obsession with someone who has struggled with addiction. I write as the affected family member. I am the youngest of six.  Four of my older siblings were born into my parents’ violent marriage.  My Dad was an alcoholic...Read More