I was an addict at an early age; 13, to be exact. It took me 20 years and a lifetime that I can't get back to get clean. At the age of 33, I finally kicked my habit and stayed sober. Since then I have grown exponentially in an emotional and psychological capacity. I have found joy in my four children. Most of all, though, I have discovered a deep passion for helping and educating others. My lived experiences have provided me with the intimate understanding of how the disease of addiction really affects those in its grasp. Those same experiences have instilled in me a deep desire to help those who have not or can not help themselves. To help the people who find themselves in the exact situation I once was in. Substance Use Disorder, despite robbing us of so many aspects of our lives, is not a death sentence. Much to the contrary, coming out of it on the other side provides one with a second chance at a blank slate. That said, the stigma and misinformation surrounding it are certainly roadblocks to achieving wellness. It is my goal to dispel myths, conquer stigma, and help others on their journeys to becoming well. Through community outreach, new and improving treatment options, compassion, and empathy, I feel like that goal is in reach. It is my desire to be a catalyst for change, not just in my community, but world wide. Low to no cost treatment centers, harm reduction programs and needle exchanges are just a few things I would like to make a reality, starting in my home town and creating a model for others to emulate. Additionally, I think in the fading era of the DARE program, children need real life education on how these substances can cause real damage. Age appropriate education instead of scare tactics is what needs to be implemented. At-risk youth needs to have access to programs where peer support is utilized on a broad scale. Modeling healthy behaviors instead of strictly forbidding experimentation is proven on a wide scale with hard data to be the best way to encourage youth to implement positive routines in their lives. Most of all, though? Most of all, I would like to pay forward the help that has been given to me on my journey to sobriety. There are so many people who could lay their proclivities to rest just with knowing that someone has faith in them. Positive reinforcement even as small as encouraging words has been proven to work better time and time again than negative consequences, such as casting shame and judgement. Addiction is a disease, not a choice or a personality characteristic.