I grew up with strong morals and always felt ashamed, but I was more interested in having friends than having a clean record. Substances totally ate away any functional communication I had with my family and friends. My relationship with my mom deteriorated first because of the trust that was lost when I was drinking. When I started using heroin, friends clearly started to notice the changes in me and worried for my safety. I tried my best to avoid frightening people or letting them know about my addiction, and I was demoralized for not being able to kick the habit.

I finally went to a rehab in Mexico and became well educated on the disease concept of addiction. I deleted all the numbers in my phone that were a part of my former life. I found new friends instead and stayed away from all the slippery places that formerly triggered me. I rekindled several relationships with my family and continue to do so. I also developed an excellent relationship with my sponsor and still call him to this day."