Hannah's Story

Growing up I had a great childhood. I was active in sports, involved in student council, was a class officer and an honors student. I had my life all together and had big dreams and goals for my future. I went on to college after high school and that’s where my life took a whole different route. I got into an unhealthy relationship and was introduced to oxycontin.

I started skipping class and by my 2nd year I had dropped out because of my addiction. All my previous goals and dreams for my future were replaced with new goals of getting and staying high. My body soon became dependent on oxycontin to function because of how heavily I was using. I was constantly trying to obtain this high that I had first experienced forcing me to use more and more each day. When oxy’s didn’t cut it anymore I began using heroin. My life was totally falling apart.

I buried myself deeper into my addiction, blinding my eyes from seeing the destruction that it was causing. I pushed all my real friends and family away, and I didn’t have any value in my life anymore. Heroin was always around and I used from the second I woke up, throughout the whole day, until I passed out at night from being so high. I was passing out everywhere, at work, in the middle of conversations and behind the wheel. That’s when I started to use cocaine mixed with heroin because I thought it would help me function a little better.

My life was a horrible mess. I got down to weighing 95 lbs, wasn’t eating or showering, and had become someone I never imagined I’d be. I ended up in jail after I got arrested for selling heroin. I have 2 felonies and 48 months of prison time suspended over me if I go back to using. I knew this wasn’t the life I was meant to live and decided I wanted to go to Mn Adult & Teen Challenge so I could get my life back. I now have more than a year sober and am free from my addiction. There has been restoration in my family and my friends are very supportive of my recovery.

I hope my story brings hope.

Hannah