“I started smoking pot, drinking on the weekends. That’s what all my friends did.”
Like so many teenagers before her, Lindsey’s journey into addiction started as a harmless way to fit in. Her friends like to smoke and drink, so she fell into that same behavior. But as time passed, what started as just some weekend fun, turned into something more serious. “As time went on, I graduated to harder drugs. It started getting to where it was everyday.” Soon school became an afterthought, and addiction began to tighten its grip.
A Devastating Loss & a Downward Spiral
Lindsey’s life took a turn for the worse when she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome following an allergic reaction to a flu shot. The illness paralyzed her and left her hospitalized for two months, during which she was prescribed narcotic pain medication. “I loved the feeling that it gave me,” she admitted. “From that point on, my life was just…turmoil”
But the real breaking point came when she was 23. “My sister, who was 19, got killed in a car accident. That really sent me over the edge. I honestly didn’t care anymore what happened to me. I honestly wanted to die with her.”
As her addiction progressed, Lindsey found herself lost deeper and deeper into the cycle of substance abuse. She got married in a ceremony she barely remembers and the two of them sunk into the depths of heroin addiction. “That’s what ended up bringing me to my knees.”
Seizures became a regular occurrence. Her family begged her to get help, but nothing seemed to stick. “I had already been to like four or five other detox facilities, and nothing ever worked for me. I always picked right back up.”
Finding Hope at The Owl’s Nest
Then came the night that changed everything.
“I went to the emergency room. They handed me a list of places, and my mom and I went through it…I finally found The Owl’s Nest.”
From the moment she arrived, Lindsey felt something different. “I was greeted with open arms. I met people that were just like me.” But more than that, for the first time, she understood why she had been stuck in the cycle of addiction. “I finally heard the true message and why I did what I did. That was huge for me because I could never understand why I hurt people who loved me.”
Building a Life Worth Living
Recovery was more than just getting sober. It was about building a new life - one worth living. Lindsey threw herself into service work and seeing how she could help others. “For me, that’s where my sobriety and my life really took off.”
She moved into a sober living house, where she found a community of strong, sober women who became lifelong friends. “Some of the best times I’ve ever had in my life,” she recalled.
“My life today is beyond my wildest dreams. I honestly can hardly explain all the blessings that have come. I visit my family every other weekend, and they actually want me there. My sister, who wouldn’t have anything to do with me before, is now my best friend.”
A Message of Hope
“I help people every single day, and life today is wonderful. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the whole world.”
If you or someone you love is struggling, take that first step. You’re not alone, and recovery is possible.
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