Hi, I’m Jessica and I’ve found a new way of life!
Life with Addiction
My previous life included being raised by crack-cocaine addicts, foster placements, physical abuse, being “mom” at age four to my two younger siblings (both with Fetal Alcohol Disorder), a father who eventually went to prison, and more, so much more.
At thirteen I was adopted and my life became more “normal.” I kept my promise to my parents and did not drink while under their roof. I then met a guy, moved out of my parent’s house, and life soon became one big party.
My boyfriend was a meth addict. I soon found myself drinking on a daily basis and eventually started using meth. I was only nineteen. My life became a downward spiral (lost job, lost drivers license, arrested for possession of stolen property, and jail).
I wanted to prove to myself that I could get clean, but I just couldn’t quit! I was an addict, just like my mom, dad, boyfriend, and sadly, thousands of others. Again, my life was falling to pieces in my very own hands.
A Day of Reckoning
Before coming to Progress Valley, I was under the impression that God and I had this recovery thing licked. I didn’t need anyone or anything else to achieve sobriety. But then I was arrested. One day I knelt down along my bed in my jail cell and cried out to God. This was the day I found a new way of life and I eventually found myself at Progress Valley.
The Progress Valley Plan
I was very hesitant (to say the least) and I kicked and screamed on the way through the doors. Now I say prayers of gratitude each day for Progress Valley and what it has done for my life! PV made me aware that drugs were a very small portion of my problem, and along with their help, I truly began the process of recovery.
Following treatment at PV I moved into their sober housing. I learned how to become a productive member of society and more. As I was dealing with my own sobriety, my brother committed suicide. If it weren’t for the support of staff and the many women in sober housing, along with the love and care of my higher power, I don’t know that I would still be clean today.
On-going Support
I continue to go back to PV time and time again to get the emotional and mental support I need. I feel a true bond with the staff and women. After all, they held out a hand when I still wanted to die.
The New Me!
Today, I am working the twelve step program, I have a sponsor, and I sponsor other women in the program. I’ve kept my job and plan to start school in the fall for chemical dependency counseling. I believe that I have finally found my purpose in life. It took going through a lot of abuse in my childhood and then abusing myself as an adult to get here today. I have been more joyous and free in the last twenty-eight months than I ever was in the twenty-two years before recovery.
For all of it I am truly grateful.
—Jessica
