Overcoming substance use disorder, embracing mental health, and finding hope in Georgia.
Maddy wanted to be a musician. She’s always been a sensitive person, but her family said, “Gotta be tough.” She felt alone in her feelings, and like she had to tune them out.
She used substances to help cope—but still, she felt like there was no way out. She also had a hard time making the connection between her mental health and her substance use disorder (SUD). “I thought I just liked to party. But it took getting involved in the recovery community and them reaching out to me and making me understand it’s not the same."
Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) saved Maddy’s life and started her recovery journey. “I was on it for about four months and it just gave me enough time to stay alive—to realize I wanted to stay alive,” she says. MOUD is life-saving, effective, and FDA-approved.
People can and do recover. Maddy’s experience changed her attitudes and learned what’s possible for her and for others.