Debbie's Story

My name is Debbie. I am a recovering addict. I am 39 years old with four children, five grandchildren, and two on the way. I have not always been the person I am today. I come from a family of drug dealers and users. All I knew was how to use, manipulate, con, and most of all hurt me and others by any means necessary. I was sexually assaulted by my cousins and my step father but because I learned how to lie at a young age, no one believed me. As life progressed, I became a mother of twins at the age of 17 and by age 19 I had another kid and then married at age 21. I never had the opportunity to be a kid. I always felt like the black sheep of the family. As my addiction progressed, I became homeless and my children where split between families here and there. I was given an opportunity to move to Valdosta, GA thinking this would be a geographical cure and change. I lost my mom who was very physically and verbally abusive to me growing up. My mother died a using addict. My housing manager introduced me to Project Light. She worked for DFACS in the past and made referrals to Project Light, a program for substance abusing women and their children. I learned, while attending Project Light, that I had a problem and realized I was not a bad person. I had a problem that I could get help for. I started out in Parenting Classes, Relapse Prevention, Self esteem, Health and Wellness, Socialization, Budgeting, etc. Project Light taught me how to love myself and stand up for something rather than fall for anything. I learned how to be parent, grandmother, a friend, and a productive member of society. I was introduced to Narcotics Anonymous by the Project Light staff. I have 27 months clean and I continue to attend 12 step meetings I chair the meetings, served as secretary of my NA group, and continue to serve my group. As I reflect on my life thus far, I am grateful for the program for teaching me how to practice principles in all my affairs. I realize that Project Light and Behavior Health Services contributed to me being the person that I am today. They have great doctors who are concerned about the clients and really listen. All the staff treated me with respect from the secretary to the staff and supervisors. I guess you could say I owe my new life to Project Light, Narcotics Anonymous, and BHS with God's grace. I learned how to also set goals for my life and stick to them. I am working on obtaining my GED and will test for it on April 20, 2009. I work as a peer adviser employed by my housing manager who introduced me to Project Light. I am attending a local church doing service work. I have a sponsor whom I allow to guide me in my personal recovery. People respect me today. I have boundaries and limits. I used to be a people pleaser. The staff at Project Light helped me to have a voice. I am a productive member of society today living life on life's terms. I have not found it necessary to use any drugs to cope with any of my life's situations. I would like to say my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God, placed everything and everybody in my life when I was in the streets and He still has my best interest at heart today. I had a problem long before I picked up the drugs. I am responsible for my recovery and Project Light and Behavioral Health Services gave me the legs to stand on and walk.
In Loving Service Debbie

Story

I am a consumer of Behavior Health Services and I want to share with you my experience, life and battle with mental illness. My diagnosis is Undifferentiated Schizophrenia and I am currently attending Day Treatment (Peer Support) at New Beginnings. I am homeless and I receive housing assistance from the Shelter Plus Care Program. My experience with mental illness has always been troublesome. Sometimes the symptoms associated with Schizophrenia seem to take over my ability to feel important, love and respected. The initial onset of my mental illness was confusing, frightening and bothersome. I was first diagnosed at the age of sixteen and I was placed on lithium but due to limited income my parents could not afford the medication this left me to struggle with an untreated illness. I would always ask myself "What does my family, friends, teachers and neighbors think of me?" In remembering my childhood I would hear things that no one else seemed to hear, they told me to do things or say things that was not "NORMAL." In remembering my high school years I feel the voices was worse, I was always talking to myself, others thought this was weird but I felt I was communicating with spirits and that I could maybe speak with the dead, I eventually dropped out high school in the tenth grade because I felt the voices was to much for me to deal with in school, I could no longer concentrate on class assignments, I had no friends because I isolated myself from others and my mood swings was causing me to feel vengeance towards my parents. At the age of twenty I moved out my mom house and got married and I later started working at a doughnut shop, things seemed to going well for a while then my marriage became sour and the mood swings resurfaced followed by the vengeance against my husband but I now dealt with suicidal thoughts, these feelings not only surfaced at home but now on my job too, which eventually led to me being fired, I remembered my boss telling me one day "You're CRAZY! Get out of here!" Over the years my husband divorced me, I lost numerous jobs, my parents passed away, and I became homeless I was placed in Southwestern State Hospital and upon being released I was later placed with one BHS programs known as Shelter Plus, To ME! This is where my life began and I found (me) and I felt I liked me. Shelter Plus has been GOD sent to me, since starting this program I have developed a sense of independence, self esteem, self worth, money management, and knowledge of my illness and I now receive other services through BHS known as CSI this is my case manager I was appointed her due to my poor spending habits, influenced by others as well as myself and to assist me with this she teaches me skills for money management and living I feel we work together as a team to better serve me, Although I am currently receiving this service I feel I am still incapable of living independently without professional support. I also attend Peer Support Day service four days a week here I learn job preparation skills, social skills, empowerment skills, leadership skills and many, many more. Since transferring from BHS Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program (PSR) to their Peer Support Program I became determined to "Get My Life Back". I am in the process of learning how to take responsibility for my recovery by developing the coping and recovery skills I need to mange my mental illness. For instance, I have taken on certain responsibilities that encourage within me leadership skills, and self esteem some of my responbilties are that I am Secretary of our Advisory Board, Peer helper, I have been to Leadership training in Helen GA. Thru the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN), I am Certified NAMI Recovery Support Group Facilitator thru the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and My ultimate recovery goals are to work at a Peer Support Center as a CPS (Certified Peer Support Specialist) and obtain/maintain permanent housing. Since I started complying with my MD appointments, medications and treatment services I feel I have developed my own Road Map to Recovery and I am heading the right DIRECTION!