I am pursuing my AA degree and will graduate May 2023 from Daytona State College. I am going to then pursue my bachelor's in social work so that I can become a substance abuse counselor. I am in long term recovery from addiction to substances and also diagnosed with various mental health disorders, so I really have a soft spot for people that are having at rough time in life. I was stigmatized for a long time so I relate to how someone suffering is feeling and can connect with people on a deeper level. Millions of people are dying from suicide or overdose and more people need to care that this is what is happening. A combination of the Covid 19 pandemic along with untreated substance abuse and/ or mental health disorders is a deadly combination.