At 16, I was sexually assaulted, a trauma that shattered my life. Without access to adequate mental health care, I turned to heroin to escape the torment of my memories.
It started a cycle of addiction, arrest, treatment and relapse that didn’t relent until I neared 30.
I was only 19 when I first went to prison. I spent more than seven harrowing years behind bars as a woman battling substance use addiction and mental health issues.
The pervasive stigma from prison staff, coupled with a lack of compassionate care, turned every day into a struggle for survival.
When I was released at 29, I relapsed almost immediately and overdosed.
Harm reduction, not prison, helps fight addiction
It wasn’t until I encountered a local harm reduction group that my life took a turn.
Harm reduction is a practical and transformative approach that incorporates community-driven public health strategies to enable those affected by drugs to live healthier, self-directed and purpose-filled lives.
This methodology, coupled with stable medication for Opioid Use Disorder, allowed me to find stability and begin the slow, painful process of rebuilding my life.