SUPPORT SYSTEM KEY TO RECOVERY: EX-ADDICT

REGINA -- Youth addiction can be difficult for a family, but with a
strong support system it's possible for young people to recover.

No one knows what the recovery process is like better than Michelle,
a recovering crystal meth addict. She is now using her experience to
help others deal with addictions.

"Families need to support each other and love each other and get help
for the whole family," said Michelle, whose last name was withheld to
protect her identity.

Michelle told her story to a group of parents who participated in a
four-part addiction awareness series hosted by the Regina Qu'Appelle
Health Region's Addiction Services.

"The way I see it is my mom gave me the gift of life and the way I
live my life is my gift to her. I never really looked at it like that
before because I was too selfish," said Michelle.

She didn't always have that perspective. Michelle began experimenting
with drugs at an early age and dropped out of high school in Grade
10. She began drinking alcohol by the age 13 and in the matter of a
couple of years she was using a variety of drugs. Michelle said as a
teenager she was searching for the love and attention that she felt
was missing in her life.

Her life took a dramatic turn at the age of 23 when she tried crystal meth.

"The first time I tried it I was addicted," said Michelle. "It was
different from all other drugs I had ever done, because before drugs
and alcohol was a lifestyle for me. Crystal meth was the first time I
couldn't live without it."

For the next three years her life revolved around her addiction as it
spiralled out of control and she slowly lost friends and family. When
she reached her lowest point it was her mom who stepped in and helped
her on the road to recovery. She said it wasn't easy, but her mother
never gave up on her. Together they found a way out and now Michelle
is using her story to give some hope to parents.

"It took me six months to get into rehab and I was a crystal meth
addict, which was very disappointing. It is something I hope changes
in the future for other people because crystal meth is a very hard
drug to get off," Michelle said, adding she wouldn't have been able
to stay on her path to recovery without her mother's unwavering support.

"I just wish we had more resources to help families with this. We
need to as a community pull our pants up and help people. I'm
definitely one of the lucky ones because I had a mom who loved me.
When I didn't love myself my mom loved me."

It has taken some time and Michelle still attends Narcotics Anonymous
meetings. Now she is speaking out about addiction and is hoping her
story will help others.

"I thought if I put as much effort into changing my life as I did
screwing it up then I can't do half bad," said Michelle.

Not only was she able to overcome her addiction she has decided to
dedicate her life to helping others and is now a second-year social
work student at the University of Regina. Her proudest moment to date
was on Thursday when she received 98 per cent on an essay assignment
for one of her classes.

"I just learned that if you want to help yourself you have to do
things for other people," said Michelle. "I spend a lot of time
trying to help other people."

Although she feels more services are needed to treat addiction she's
happy with what Addiction Services is doing by hosting information sessions.

"We present a way of looking at addictions in such a way that parents
are empowered to take a look at what they are doing so that they can
parent smarter and not parent harder," explained addictions
counsellor Don Fitzsimmons.