It is said everyone’s life journey starts with the first step. But I took my first step many times. All my first steps were on different paths which led to the same place – childhood addiction. The land of drug and alcohol started at age 11. Drug and alcohol addiction were the only tools I knew how to use to cope with life with its uncertainties and pain. But I want you to know I wasn’t always an addict. I started my life in a loving home with two parents who loved me unconditionally.
I remember being anxious and worried much of the time. I remember not liking to feel emotion. It seemed to me emotion must be one of the most uncomfortable things about life. Maybe because I always thought I felt or loved too much. By the time I was a pre-teen I was on anti-depressant medication. Around the same time, I found out I had endometriosis which I interpreted as my uterus and ovaries hating me. My parents took me to the doctor who gave me pain medication to ease the pain of my uterus and ovaries battling with me on a monthly schedule.
The Start of Childhood Addiction
To begin – I couldn’t sleep, so I was prescribed sleeping pills. When I couldn’t concentrate, I was prescribed Adderall. At one time I was taking over 140 pills per month. Now that you know this, you can see how my childhood addiction started. I needed the next prescription like I needed air to breathe. My parents did the right thing and had me go to rehab. I did great in rehab meeting other addicts like myself but I also knew I wasn’t going to stay off of drugs when I got out. But I was going to have to change my drug choice.
When I walked out of rehabilitation, I walked straight into heroin addiction. It didn’t take me fifteen minutes before I had a needle in my arm. I didn’t have access to prescription pills anymore, but I had access to street drugs. I decided the drugs were enough for me to sleep in rat-infested drug houses where men and women overdosed and died in front of me.
Addiction’s Full Grasp
The drugs were enough for me to see people killed in front of me. Some were beaten up so bad they wished they were dead. I must have left the streets a hundred times. Each time I would go to rehabilitation and each time I got out, I went back to the streets.
I was raped and beaten on the streets. I was even almost sold into the sex slave trade. Each time I saw a friend die or go missing I wanted to quit. I wanted to learn how to live without wanting my next hit. But I couldn’t break away.
My parents loved me enough during my childhood addiction to come and pick me up in houses that held nothing but rapists, addicted people, and murderers. I loved them enough to never tell them the names of anyone inside or their lives would have been at risk. But I kept circling the same place. Even though I would take a positive first step out of the five or six rehabilitation centers I went to, I knew I would be going back to drugs. My path always led me back to drug and alcohol addiction.
Making it Out Alive
I needed to learn the tools which would help me in my coping skills, so I committed this time to rehabilitation which taught me more about the tools I could use for coping mechanisms. Tools which would teach me to not sit in my emotions. Tools I could use to get better and move on with my life. Tools I could use to get me out of the furnace of fire and addiction I had been living in. Fire can burn you to ashes and leave nothing of you behind. But fire can also shape and create some amazing things. And what is a star in the sky but the fire burning gases with bits of iron? I could choose to be the star.
I was going to become the person I was always destined to be but could never find through the maze and haze of my childhood addiction to drugs and alcohol. I wasn’t the drug-addicted people who used the motivation of thinking about why I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life or who I wanted to become. But I was the drug addict who could use motivation about who I never wanted to be again. So I started taking steps forward by not using for a day, a week, a month, and more. I learned coping skills I needed to have to deal with life situations that happen from time to time.
I lost my job recently and I don’t like being unemployed. I like to get out, do things, and be busy. But I am using this time to value what I have. I have my parents who still love me unconditionally but do not enable me. I have my boyfriend, and we have a place of our own, and a new dog. I have all the things in life which have value and worth. Life isn’t made up of grand gestures and over the top moments. It’s the little things that matter. It’s the little steps I am taking on a new path leading me into unchartered waters.
31 comments
Wow, just amazing how young she started doing drugs and drinking. Unfortunately, her story isn’t uncommon.
this is serious..140 pills per month as a child is something..the truth is addiction destroys people and the fact that each time she gets out of rehab, she goes back to the street makes her life even worse..I’m glad she is now committed to rehab..those coping skilss will sure help you deal with life situation..I’m sorry you lost your job …I hope you get a new one soon..keep living a clean life..you will never regret it
It wasn’t easy for Sarah Ann to get out of complicated additions, both the pills addition and the heroin addiction. It’s pleasant at last, she was delivered from the life she started earlier with.
Her addiction started at a very young age and up to her adulthood but I’m so glad she was able to overcome it and she’s doing just fine now. Happy for you sister.
Kudos to the parents for suggesting rehab for their kid seeing his reactions to the prescribed drugs. Thanks also to Detox
This is not simple. This is a very good story. Unfortunately, her story isn’t uncommon. Thanks for sharing this blog.
What a wonderful Story Shared!Her Addiction started at a very young Age and I’m really Glad to know She’s taking Good steps.
It’s really surprising how victims of addiction get into addiction at tender ages. But it gives me so much joy when they share how they got sober and free from addiction.
Experiencing addiction at such a young age is very bad. She thought she could cope with it but her life took drastic turn due to her addiction. Glad that she find her way to recovery and trying to get her life back.
Oh wow, consuming over 140 pills a month just to stay overboard is rather life threatening than saving. These addictions just clicks and it gets hard to detach oneself. I’m extremely happy for her victory over this drug addiction. It’s never easy. Thanks as always Detoxtorehab.
His story is very inspirational and motivational. Thanks for sharing this blog. Addictions is very bad habit
Childhood addictions can really get worse with no one paying attention to help a child. Good that you are fine now which is the most important thing
The childhood of a person determine the future of such person. Her childhood experience of addiction affected her way in life. Glad that she is on her way to recovery and trying her best to get back on track.
This is disheartening, it’s a miracle reading the turn around. People are faced with situations like this, I wish they can find help
I believe pain can cause one to find rest somewhere else. It is sad to see a child encountering drugs at such a young and early age.
Seriously now, rehabilitation doesn’t guarantee a successful withdrawal atimes or even most times it leads to more problem for most people. Programs like the 12 steps should be included
The downside of drugs I suppose even medication to some extent. The sad thing is in most cases they do not even choose to be an addict. It is more on relief but grew into something else. At 11 years old? wow.
It’s human to be emotional, why don’t young people feel that. Most resulted into drugs just because of this reason. Moreover, no age is advisable to do drugs, not too young or old. We should not
Yeah, life is all about the little things that makes us happy. Great that you are in a better place now. you will be fine very soon
A good caretaker needed everyone from childhood, because it’s the moment where you learn the thing very . But her initial days was really difficult but now good to see she back to normal life.
This is a very emotional story, starting drugs at such a tender age. Thank God for her recovery from drugs and alcohol. Detox to rehab thank you for sharing this amazing story of recovery.
This story has clearly unveiled that drug addiction cuts across different age groups in the society. In view of this, all hands must be on deck to arrest this ugly trend.
Getting addicted at age 11 is not a good one. The pathetic part of this story is that she lost her job.
This story is truly disturbing and pathetic. This has evidently shown that our society is seriously decaying. As a result, this calls for concerted effort of stakeholders to fight this unpleasant development to a logical conclusion.
Addiction turning her to murderer. This is unbelievable. Your recovery is permanent in Jesus name.
How you start using drug at early age,and you can see how drug abusing affect your life and how bad it is,and after sober I hope you get happy sober
She had an awful experience at such a very young age which contributed to her drug abuse. Glad that she took the right step to recovery.
This lady started with the wrong step which almost destroy her life. Thanks to Detox Rehab.
This age period is actually a dangerous time for everyone and this is why parents have to be their children best friend. This will give the children the opportunity to relay every of their challenges to their parents.
Am so glad she’s able to overcome her addiction. It’s not sọ easy for someone who started at a very young age up to her adulthood
I see determination here. This story got me goose bumbs. So touching. She did not give up on herself despite the addiction. I’m glad there was an escape route.