“She stayed with him because he was always ‘sorry.’ He ‘never meant to hurt her.'”

‘I discovered cocaine in my mom’s purse while we were shopping. She had it hidden in a mint case along with a razor blade and a straw. Then she married her drug dealer.’

‘Want drugs?’ My bio dad, just released from prison, sat me on the toilet and injected meth into my arm.’: After surviving child abuse, living in 40 foster homes, man finds ‘home’ in his kids’ arms
“I was usually good at hiding my bruises, but one day I didn’t do a very good job. ‘How did this happen?!’ my teacher asked. I told her it was from carrying firewood. Minutes after I got home, there was a man in a tan suit at my door. CPS. The beginning of my journey across 40 foster homes. I feel so lucky to have beaten the odds. Not for me, but for my sons. I’d go through my childhood 1,000 times if it meant my sons didn’t have to.”

‘I was ignorant enough to think a 2-year-old wasn’t going through any trauma by tragically losing both of his parents in a matter of 12 days.’
“In my head, he was young enough that he was completely unaware of what was really happening. I truly believed he would walk into our family and things would go smoothly.”

‘I wasn’t a drug addict. I just took pills. That’s not being a drug addict. Boy, was I wrong.’: Woman shares how much her life changed due to drug addiction
“I was a mother, a daughter, a friend, a hard worker, someone you could trust and depend on – then all that changed in one short year.”

‘Gunner was born a happy, healthy, beautiful baby boy. And we all lived happily ever after. I wish.’: Mom overcomes years of addiction to regain custody of son
“Did I mention I was dating another drug dealer? No? Oh, I was dating another drug dealer. You can possibly guess what happens next right? ‘I’m pregnant. I wanted to abort the pregnancy, so I could continue using as much as my selfish little body could handle, and I didn’t want a baby making it any more difficult. Hey, we’re trying to be honest here, right? Don’t judge me yet.”

‘Before my dad committed suicide, he called. ‘Shut up’ spewed from my mouth. The last words I ever said to him.’: Daughter overcomes drug addiction, chooses to ‘make Dad proud, not follow in his footsteps’
“I was so angry and upset for so long at the fact he chose drugs, and willingly chose to take his own life and leave me. I now understand though. I’ve now felt that pain.”

‘I had finally been found out. The wails coming from my hysterical sister’s mouth were horrific. I had just confessed my truth.’
“There was another unfamiliar feeling sprouting through the cracks of my bruised and battered psyche. That feeling was hope. I didn’t have to be this monster anymore. I didn’t have to hustle to find my fix and I didn’t ever have to use again if I didn’t want to, I finally had a choice.”

‘I am a mom of 3 beautiful children. I recently became an addict. My story isn’t your typical one.’: Mother admits she ‘could have bought a car’ with all the money she spent on heroin, ‘It made me sick’
“I lost my best friend to a heroin overdose. Grief stricken, I wanted to see what was sooooo great about dope that people would risk their lives for it.”

‘I was living a double life. I’d go to college. Then I’d hang out at trap houses, cut dope and use drugs intravenously.’: Addict says he was ‘miraculously healed’ and had ‘no withdrawals symptoms’
“The first time I ever injected methamphetamine I knew I was going to have a problem – because it was the best feeling I had ever felt. I dropped out of college and went on a binge. I was now forging checks, stealing from my family, selling drugs, and breaking into houses to support my habit. I never thought I would be able to get clean and sober.”

‘If you are not the parent of a heroin addict — you are lucky. Say a prayer and stop judging.’
“I felt his words in the pit of my stomach. ‘Mom, I need help.'”