Hello, Unfortunately, at just 30 years old I have watched many family members, friends and school alumni battle or pass away due to an addiction of some kind. Living in a small town for most of my life you get know everyone and intertwine as an unknowing family. Within a small community losing a loved one is not something you endure yourself; the entire town comes together to make you feel warm and not feel alone. My memories with substance abuse started around the age of 10, when my stepfather passed away from an accidental drug patch overdose. That was a really hard experience, for at least 5 years every time I seen someone who looked like my stepfather I balled. Eventually, that started to fade and now it just makes me stop look. From there next memory would be my sisters battle with narcotics. Her battle did not "look" like what most people imagine addiction. She carried a full-time job, PTA, sports mom, she did it all and popped pills on the side. Her wakeup calls finally happened when she started having seizers at work. Thankfully that helped to pull her out of a very dangerous addiction. A couple years after my sister was fully sober, I received the call my oldest brother had passed away. 5 years sober. Electrician line man. Cirrhosis of the liver due to excessive alcohol use. He was 32. 32 years old, fiancé who was 4 months pregnant. Just like that gone. Aside from family I have had multiple friends and alumni pass due to addictions. 5 of my local classmates have all died within the last 7 years due to addictions whether alcohol, fentanyl or pills. All of them are heartbreaking, all of them are quite and all of them happened behind closed doors. Today, I actively watch multiple family members struggle with addiction. At least 2 of my uncles are currently struggling with methamphetamine addictions, my aunt struggles with cocaine. My father and stepmother as well as my mother and new stepfather struggle with alcohol addiction and my little brother currently is 9 days sober from alcohol, cocaine and cannabis. Throughout this journey of life and watching the struggles, death and near-death experiences I have seen has really encouraged me and honestly caused me to become terrified of addiction. The terror I have for addiction has caused me to build an usually high pain tolerance. I have birthed 2 children with no pain meds, just recently tore a hole in my 3rd hamstring and tore my 2nd off the bone with virtually no pain after day 2. Unfortunately, this required surgery making this number 10 in 9 years! Addiction is something that I feel should be a terrifying thought. There is no amount of motivation to help you move past the death of a loved one. Everything I do I do for my children. Every job, every car, every house, everything is for them. My boys are the most charismatic, charming, loving kids. Thank You, Felisha