Kara Roggow

I was always a shy kid, I was bullied a lot. I used to cut myself because I didn't know how to deal with it. I had memories of my pediatrician abusing me during check-ups. I started drinking around 15 and I started to come out of my shell. I had a lot more confidence. From there I went to several other drugs. That lasted until I was in my thirties. I stopped drinking and drugging when I was pregnant with my children but about six months after my second child, I started having severe panic attacks, chronic pain and depression. I had doctors giving me pain meds, Xanax and Valium. From there I dealt with several tragedies within a year which made my drug use worse. I also found out I was bi-polar and had borderline personality disorder.

After the series of tragedies I had I promised my aunt I would get help. She was dying and when she passed away I entered rehab. I was there for 11 months. I relapsed, I ended up in the hospital. When I was released nobody came to get me. The hospital put me on a bus to the local homeless shelter in the worst part of the city. The bus dropped me off and it took me hours to find it. Roaming the most dangerous streets I was robbed and almost assaulted. My parents came into town and took me home. I was put on the waiting list for a 6-month inpatient rehab center. While I waited to get in and while I was there I couldn't see my kids for 9 months. I have been sober since. I also got a lot out of DBT classes and a lot of mental health therapy.

Things are great. When I go through tough times drinking and drugging aren't the first things on my mind, it's not even an option. I see what I have lost in the past and I make sure I remember that pain when things are down. I learned how to be confident and how to say no. I am happy!