David L. Burns Memorial Scholarship

Helping others with addiction is important to me because of the profound impact it has not only on the person suffering but also on those around them. Addiction is a powerful vice that people often fall into due to circumstances beyond their control or by accident. In America, support for those struggling with addiction is lacking, leaving victims to drown alone or forcing their loved ones to pick up the pieces of a broken person. One person I personally saw struggle with addiction was my aunt. During my early childhood, my aunt dealt with substance abuse issues as a coping mechanism for her psychological problems. This led to excessive drinking and a DUI incident one night. Before this happened, she was an EMT driver, but she was unfortunately let go from her career due to this incident. This completely shifted the course of her life and caused her to spiral for a few years, eventually turning to harder drugs such as crack and other opiates. Fortunately, she was able to make it out of the pit she found herself in, mostly due to the help our family was privileged enough to provide. Despite our support, the journey of betterment was not easy for us. Just as my aunt struggled with her vices, we struggled to watch her in such a bad place. This problem is not unique to our family; many others face even greater challenges, including death and prison time. In my career, I will help those struggling with addiction by intentionally serving those who are victims of these vices and helping them to better themselves psychologically. I plan on entering the field of psychiatry after medical school because I want to help those who struggle with the same kinds of mental problems that people like my aunt and even myself have faced, which lead to unfortunate circumstances. The root of addiction often lies in underlying mental health issues, which cause individuals to fall victim to substances as a coping mechanism. By reaching out to those who don't have the help that people like my aunt were fortunate enough to receive, I hope to bring health and prosperity to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it. Addiction is by no means curable, but it is treatable, and I want to help those in need find the path to recovery. My aunt’s journey through addiction and recovery highlighted the critical role of psychological support and family intervention. It also exposed me to the gaps in our healthcare system concerning addiction treatment. I have seen firsthand how the absence of adequate support can devastate lives and families. This personal experience has driven my passion for psychiatry and my commitment to providing comprehensive care that addresses both the mental health issues and the addiction itself. Furthermore, my own encounters with mental health challenges have deepened my empathy and understanding of those battling addiction. By pursuing a career in psychiatry, I aim to create a supportive environment where individuals can address their mental health issues and work towards recovery without stigma or judgment. In conclusion, helping others with addiction is not just a professional goal for me but a deeply personal mission. I aspire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those struggling with addiction by providing the support and care they need to overcome their challenges and lead healthier, happier lives. Through my work, I hope to honor the journey of my aunt and many others like her, ensuring that no one has to face the battle of addiction alone.

I have dealt with addiction my entire life. Most of my cousins are on the streets, homeless, addicted to heroin, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, opioids, or some combination of these and more. I have watched them from a young child turn from family members I relished memories of playing the GameBoy and watching cartoons on our grandparent's couch after school into ghosts of what they once were. They all started families young with other people addicted to drugs and this led to them throwing away the lives of a future generation of children who won’t know true innocence or a real family. When I was two years old my parents divorced and my brother and myself were in between split households for the majority of our childhood. My father was an abusive alcoholic and continued to be until I was seventeen years old and when he kicked me out of the house one night after he came home from the bar intoxicated. I jumped from couch to couch until I landed at my mother's for the remainder of my short-lived, covid plagued, senior year. I raised myself and built up my life from rock bottom. My interest in health care started when I watched my mother start her dream as a nurse at forty-five years old after she retired from the Army. I saw what she did and listened to the stories she told me about her experiences joining the medical field. I started working at Mosaic Life Care about a year and a half ago as a PCA. Working virtually on the bottom of the food chain I have an appreciation for what LPNs, RNs, MDs, Analysts, Financial services, and various other positions I work with on a day-to-day basis that makes Mosaic, as a whole, run smoothly and efficiently. My position has lent me the opportunity to see quite a lot on the floor as Saint Joseph has a large percentage of drug addiction and drug-related crimes. As a person who has been around and has personally experienced addiction of all kinds I always strive to talk to my patients who fall in this category and connect with them on a personal and professional basis. With coming into the nursing program I look to the future on how I can best guide and help people who don’t have a support system or who may have one but just need a helping hand and ears to listen. I am going to use my degree after I graduate as a tool to use what I have to help people who oftentimes think they don’t need help or who can’t help themselves as they are blinded by the pains and pleasures of addiction. This essay is not written with just the purpose of receiving a scholarship, I would rather speak from the heart than speak as a robot who just wants someone to pay for their college. Regardless of whether I am chosen as the winner or not I want to thank you for the opportunity of consideration. This topic is near and dear to my self and who I am today and I will continue to currently help others in all walks of life and look forward to having my nursing degree so I can help patients with addiction in much more depth than before.