Friendships, feelings—many people find that using substances allows them to feel more comfortable and accepted, but substances affect people differently.
Audrey is a person in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), and she remembers the self-stigma she felt when she was in active addiction.
“It’s really come down to a matter of my value and my worthiness,” she says. Audrey felt unworthy, most of all in her relationships with her mother and her child.
In treatment and in the years that have followed, she’s experienced growth and healing—and with the help of her community, what she calls “continual forward motion.”
For Audrey, friendships and feelings have come full circle. She says, “I’ve been blessed over the years to have really amazing people.” Audrey’s friends are supportive, and they help her remember she’s worth it.