Get back up.

There are over 50,000 cases a year.
53% of adults have reported this a family issue in their lives.
40% of teens are involved.  
23.6 million people are receiving treatment.
40-60% of people relapse after recovery.
It affects everyone involved. 100% of the time.


I was first exposed to addiction when I was in the 1st grade. I learned the depths of and how to prevent the treacherous path in 5th grade. I even wrote a paper about it, and had the opportunity to present it to my entire elementary school. You could say I was proud of myself. Proud of myself to realize that addiction is a reoccurring problem in not only my life, but those around me and that it was a message that needed to be heard.

Addiction became an overwhelming reality for me the summer of 2009. Right before the start of middle school. I battled a never ending fight with a situation I absolutely dreaded, instead of observing an addiction - gaining one of my own. Studies show that an addictive personality has a greater likelihood of occurring if it's being passed down from a parent or elder in the family, which in my situation - was true. Addiction crept it's way back into my life in the 9th grade when I read the book, It Will Never Happen To Me and was faced with the reality of my childhood. I sat in hours of therapy, trying to cope with not my own addiction, but my mother's with alcohol. Addiction affects everyone involved. 100% of the time. 

53% of adults have reported alcohol addiction an issue in their everyday lives. Addiction consumes you. It is easy to feel shameful or denial about what is happening in your life. Shame and denial have a funny way of creeping into the back of your mind, repeatedly telling you what is happening is not worthy of telling. It's not worthy of being a real problem. That addiction isn't happening to you. "It's just a habit." "I'm just having a good time." "I'm not addicted, I can stop at any given moment." This mindset creates a fuel for a cycle of addiction. Only 53% of adults report, so what is the comparative percent of those involved if there are over 50,000 cases a year in alcohol addiction alone?  53% of 50,000 is 26,500 people. Only 26,500 cases reported out of 50,000. That leaves 23,500 adults are struggling, in denial, feeling shame, or alone. 

Admitting you have a problem, no matter the addiction, is the first step (sounds cliche, doesn't it?). Recovery from your situation can seem never ending, like a battle that just won't let up. The cravings come back and it becomes more difficult to fight them at times. You even have moments of weakness where you relapse and delay the progress of your recovery process. And that's okay. Relapsing does NOT make recovery impossible. Relapsing does not mean failure. Out of the 23.6 million people receiving treatment for their addictions, 40-60% of them relapse.

"But even on my worst days in recovery, I am worlds away from my best days in my illness."

Substance abuse isn't the only type of addiction. 40% of teens are involved in addiction that is abuse. Not of substances, but themselves. This may be self harm, self hating, self shaming, feelings of unworthiness, hair pulling, eating disorders, etc. Self-injury is an addiction. 8 years of my life were consumed by the dark parts of my life I refused to face. 8 years of my life were consumed by addiction. To this day, I am still fighting for complete recovery. The most important thing to realize in this fight, what puts you so far ahead of your addiction, is that we are all human. We love, we hurt, we make mistakes, but that doesn't change the fact that although we may struggle - Recovery is real and possible. 

Addiction can become a serious illness. Addiction is learning to love the pain you're put through. Addiction is denial. Addiction is blaming those around you for the situation you put yourself in. Addiction is hurting others to fufill your cravings. Addiction is refusing to face the dark parts of your life. Addiction is isolation. Addiction is putting yourself, drugs, alcohol, pain, before those who love you. Addiction comes with feelings of shame. Addiction is different through all sorts of feelings, situations, and people. 

Addiction is real. Recovery is real. Love is real. Hope is real. God is real.
There are many ways to recover, to find love within yourself and those around you, to find hope in your future - regardless of your past, and to find your Faith and live out the Plan He has made just for you. It is possible.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction - no matter the type. Help is here. And it is okay to ask for it. 

Top Recovery Centers
What is Recovery?
Self Harm Website and Online Chat
Crisis Text Line (for all situations)
Help Resources by TWLOHA
Help Resources in Syracuse Area
Relatable Stories to Understand You're Not Alone
Addiction Helpline: 1-888-641-4794 (24/7 availability)
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 (24/7 availability)


Addiction is not something we should feel shame about. We are human beings and we make mistakes. We are not made to be strong 100% of the time. There are going to be moments when you fall down and getting back up just seems impossible. There will be days where you can hardly summon the strength to get out of bed. There will be days when your addiction consumes every single hour of your day. But we are created to learn, to gain strength through our difficulties and to carry on. It is okay. Better days are coming for you and I.





Thank you for everyone who has been there for me through my struggles, my fight and my recovery. Facing the dark parts of my life and living through His plan and to find love within myself has been quite the journey. The support is greatly appreciated and helps me remember that recovery is a process, not an event and it is okay if I fall down, I just have to get back up.