- Drugs
Ashley’s life started to spiral out of control at a very early age. She was just five years old when she was raped and beaten. The abuse continued until she was 15. It was no wonder she turned to drugs to take away the pain. Loratab became her way of coping with all that had happened to her.
She tried to stop and was even successful for one six-month period, but the trauma of her grandmother’s death led her to start using again. Eventually Ashley found that she couldn’t get up in the morning without a pill. By this time she was married with two young sons and was taking any opiate she could get her hands on.
As her marriage began to unravel, her drug use continued. Eventually she went to jail for meth-related charges and had to take a hard look at her life. She spent four months in jail. Upon her release she realized she needed rehab. After 18 years she finally reached out a hand for some help.
It’s been a difficult year for Ashley. Her ex-husband passed away, but her fiance has been very supportive. While she’s only been clean a short time, she’s digging in and rediscovering who she is sober. She says, “I want to be a good citizen, a good, sober mother.”
Recovery may be a long road, but once Ashley finishes her program, she’s determined to get her kids back. In the meantime Ashley is focusing on learning how to be a good mom and confront her problems instead of burying them. She also knows that when she goes back home, she’ll need to learn to set firm boundaries with her family. In the past she often lied to her dad to get drug money, but she’s not that person anymore. “I’m a new person,” she says, adding, “It’s just the best experience of my life, being sober. I feel so alive.”