A Facing Project
As told to Kelly Sickafoose When I was younger, everyone seemed to want to party and drink. I had a lot of friends, so I followed suit and started drinking and partying myself. As I got older, I started drinking less and less; however, I learned … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose I started smoking cigarettes at age 12. At about 13 or 14, I was introduced to marijuana. At first, I was smoking it maybe once a week. This went on for about two years, then I started smoking more often. Eventually, I … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose I had a great mom and dad, both pillars of the community with good jobs. I never had a bad life, but I had problems on the inside. I never really felt comfortable in my own skin. At a very young age, I became involved in … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose Drugs have been part of my life since I started smoking pot at age 16. I used it a lot during the day along with smoking cigarettes. I was quickly addicted to marijuana; when I didn’t have it, I was irritable. At 18, I … [Read more...]
As told to Isabella Bailey My dear niece and nephews: I remember the car. The car was spinning and I heard my mom scream my dad’s name. He tried to swerve, but the spinning car crashed into us anyway. The last thing I said was, “Mom, Dad, please … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose Many people don’t see drinking, using prescription drugs, or marijuana as big problems. Substance Abuse Therapists Tim Hirschy, MSW, LCSW, LCAC, MAC and Dee Russell, MSW, LCSW, LCAC, LISW, LMSW, MAC say … [Read more...]
An anonymous story She left me on a cold winter day. Christmas decorations still lined the streets and lit up homes even though Christmas was over. It was too cold to snow—the kind of cold that numbs your face when you step outside. But I wasn’t … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose Early one morning in 2013, I was sleeping soundly in my room when I heard loud noises, yelling, and a crash at the back door. By the time I made it from my bedroom to the back door, a man was laying on the floor. I asked … [Read more...]
As told to Abbey Jauregui As an emergency room doctor, it is hard to explain some of the cases we see. We see and hear so much that is difficult to talk about to people who weren’t there in that situation. Over the past several years, there has … [Read more...]
As told to Kelly Sickafoose Before the problems started with my dad, our family was fun. We were always doing things together like playing board games, going outside, and playing golf. When I was in 3rd grade, I noticed whenever mom and dad would … [Read more...]