I was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety during my first year in high school. My parents took me to multiple doctors trying to get me help. The doctors had me try different medications, but I never found any relief. This ultimately led me to struggle with substance abuse disorder. I spent several years experimenting with drugs. I lost friends, struggled in school, and missed out on the fun stuff that should have come with my senior year After losing a good friend to an overdose I went into a rehabilitation facility. I left the facility and continued to use. I ended up returning to the same facility a few months later. At that point, I realized I did not want to continue living this way and I started to work the steps. With the support of the amazing staff, a therapist, and an excellent sponsor, I have been able to maintain my sobriety. I have been sober for 1 year and 3 months. For the past year, I have been working at that same rehabilitation facility. I attend and speak at meetings regularly. I have made many friends and have a great community surrounding me. I often wonder if I went through all of this so that I could find my purpose. I like being able to share my experiences to motivate others. I don't know exactly what path I will take in this field, but I know I will continue to help people who have struggled like I have.

I was diagnosed with ADHD during my first year in high school. After trying many treatments, my doctor thought maybe I also suffered from anxiety. My parents took me to multiple doctors trying to get me the help I needed. The doctors had me try many different medications and doses but I never found any relief. This ultimately led me to also struggle with substance abuse disorder. I spent several years experimenting with drugs. I lost friends, struggled in school, and missed out on the fun stuff that should have come with my senior year. It also affected my performance playing lacrosse, which I had loved and had been very good at. During this time I did a lot of things that I am not proud of. I know I hurt my family and my friends very much. After losing a good friend to an overdose I went into a rehabilitation facility. You would think experiencing this loss would be all you need to want to fight, but I was not ready. I left the facility and continued to use. I ended up returning to the same facility a few months later. At that point, I realized I did not want to continue living this way and I started to work the steps. With the support of the amazing staff, a therapist, and an excellent sponsor, who has become a good friend, I have been able to maintain my sobriety. I ended up taking a job at the same rehabilitation facility. I currently work there now. I attend meetings regularly. I also speak at meetings. I have made many friends and have a great community surrounding me. I also live with sober friends. I often wonder if I went through all of this so that I could find my purpose. My boss tells me all the time that I have matured so much, that he often forgets that I am 19 years old. He knows that he can count on me to be a reliable employee always willing to work extra shifts. I like that the patients can look at me and see someone they look up took, even though I am younger than most of them. I like being able to share my experiences to motivate them to want to get sober. I think to succeed in this field you have to have struggled with the same things as the people you are trying to help. I am currently working full time and taking classes part time. I don't know exactly what path I will take in this field, but I know I will continue to help people who have struggled like I have.

I was diagnosed with ADHD during my first year in high school. After trying many treatments, my doctor thought maybe I also suffered from anxiety. My parents took me to multiple doctors trying to get me the help I needed. The doctors had me try many different medications and doses but I never found any relief. This ultimately led me to also struggle with substance abuse disorder. I spent several years experimenting with drugs. I lost friends, struggled in school, and missed out on the fun stuff that should have come with my senior year. It also affected my performance playing lacrosse, which I had loved and had been very good at. During this time I did a lot of things that I am not proud of. I know I hurt my family and my friends very much. After losing a good friend to an overdose I went into a rehabilitation facility. You would think experiencing this loss would be all you need to want to fight, but I was not ready. I left the facility and continued to use. I ended up returning to the same facility a few months later. At that point, I realized I did not want to continue living this way and I started to work the steps. With the support of the amazing staff, a therapist, and an excellent sponsor, who has become a good friend, I have been able to maintain my sobriety. I ended up taking a job at the same rehabilitation facility. I currently work there now. I attend meetings regularly. I also speak at meetings. I have made many friends and have a great community surrounding me. I also live with sober friends. I often wonder if I went through all of this so that I could find my purpose. My boss tells me all the time that I have matured so much, that he often forgets that I am 19 years old. He knows that he can count on me to be a reliable employee always willing to work extra shifts. I like that the patients can look at me and see someone they look up took, even though I am younger than most of them. I like being able to share my experiences to motivate them to want to get sober. I think to succeed in this field you have to have struggled with the same things as the people you are trying to help. I don't know exactly what path I will take in this field, but I know I will continue to help people who have struggled like I have.

I was diagnosed with ADHD during my first year in high school. After trying many treatments, my doctor thought maybe I also suffered from anxiety. My parents took me to multiple doctors trying to get me the help I needed. The doctors had me try many different medications and doses but I never found any relief. This ultimately led me to also struggle with substance abuse disorder. I spent several years experimenting with drugs. I lost friends, struggled in school, and missed out on the fun stuff that should have come with my senior year. It also affected my performance playing lacrosse, which I had loved and had been very good at. During this time I did a lot of things that I am not proud of. I know I hurt my family and my friends very much. After losing a good friend to an overdose I went into a rehabilitation facility. You would think experiencing this loss would be all you need to want to fight, but I was not ready. I left the facility and continued to use. I ended up returning to the same facility a few months later. At that point, I realized I did not want to continue living this way and I started to work the steps. With the support of the amazing staff, a therapist, and an excellent sponsor, who has become a good friend, I have been able to maintain my sobriety. I ended up taking a job at the same rehabilitation facility. I currently work there now. I attend meetings regularly. I also speak at meetings. I have made many friends and have a great community surrounding me. I also live with sober friends. I often wonder if I went through all of this so that I could find my purpose. My boss tells me all the time that I have matured so much, that he often forgets that I am 19 years old. He knows that he can count on me to be a reliable employee always willing to work extra shifts. I like that the patients can look at me and see someone they look up took, even though I am younger than most of them. I like being able to share my experiences to motivate them to want to get sober. I think to succeed in this field you have to have struggled with the same things as the people you are trying to help. I don't know exactly what path I will take in this field, but I know I will continue to help people who have struggled like I have.