A few years ago, I was in a dark place. Things hadn’t gone the way I had hoped, and my whole world felt like it was falling apart around me. To make matters worse, I felt like no one understood what I was going through. My emotions were running wild and out of control; I had no idea how to handle them, much less manage them. I was so far from being happy, and I just didn’t know how to get back there again—I didn’t know if that would ever happen again at all.
When I was 19, I lost my father to suicide. My life changed forever. A year later, in college, my roommate took her own life and it was a horrible time for me. The one thing that helped me get through those years and keep it together was Emma’s Diary by Candace Cameron Bure. While my faith had played a role in my life growing up, after both of these events I found myself relying on God more than ever before and turned to his word as a source of comfort. As time went on, I found myself questioning why bad things happened to good people; questioning God’s existence—I even got mad at him for taking two important people from me without any warning or explanation for their deaths!
Emma started her career as a law-abiding citizen, but she was quickly drawn into drugs. Although she tried to get out of it, she was caught up in a web of abuse and crime. Her life spun out of control with no end in sight until a chance encounter with an old friend led her on a new path—one that allowed her to recover from drug addiction. A few months after turning her life around, Emma met someone who would introduce her to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormon) and accept God into her life. Since then, Emma has relied on him for strength when facing temptation, found peace in good friends who support and sustain her, and discovered God’s love for herself through prayer.
Emma’s story of addiction and redemption is not uncommon. The average person in America struggles with substance abuse at some point in their life, and 13% of deaths in young adults are related to addiction. It’s estimated that there are more than 22 million people struggling with a serious drug or alcohol problem. It is imperative that treatment programs like Hope in Recovery help those who need it most. It costs an average of $30,000 per month for drug rehab – far too much for many families to afford. That’s why Hope in Recovery offers free drug rehab for 12 months, allowing anyone struggling with addiction access to services they need – regardless of income or other factors. For Emma and thousands of others across North America, we are here for you!
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, recovery isn’t possible. The cost of drug and alcohol abuse often isn’t just financial but also personal. If a loved one is in danger of dying from addiction, there are steps you can take as a concerned family member or friend to get them into treatment at an addiction rehabilitation center. It can be difficult for people with addictions to admit that they need help, which makes it vital for others close to them to step in and help if they need it. This is especially true when a person has tried and failed at getting sober on their own multiple times; now is not the time for relapses and excuses.