My life before substance abuse became an issue was very hard.

I was raised by a single mother.

I didn't know my father, so my life was full of low self-esteem.

I could drink well, and that's what I did.

I drank well and that was a false sense of self-esteem.

Look what I can do.

I can do this better than you.

And that started at age 12.

God chose this insignificant woman to bear the son who was destined to be the father of the Arab nation.

I got pregnant when I was 14.

I had a child when I was 15.

I smoked weed and drank liquor to help me cope with being a young mother.

Every single person has their own journey, and so how it impacts youth or older adults, it is an individual experience.

Substance use disorder is harder to recognize in older adults.

There are older adults that have multiple prescriptions, and these prescriptions can put them at risk when taken with other substances.

So these are some of the challenges that we're My day-to-day when I was struggling with substance use was I would have something when I woke up in the morning, a drink or a joint or so, and it was all day every day.

That's what I did.

I didn't have time to be a mother because I was too busy doing what I needed to do to get the next one.

Older adults, they're not often diagnosed due to the fact that some of their symptoms can mirror what looks like the simple aging process, also dementia, or some other behavioral health conditions such as anxiety or depression.

The moment I realized that I needed to get clean was not me realizing it.

It was my higher power.

I had cocaine, crack, alcohol, weed, and sat down at a poker table for the whole weekend.

I felt absolutely nothing, and I said, Lord, what am I going to do?

And the spirit said, there's a detox at Interfaith Hospital.

Go there.

When I interviewed with the woman, I told her everything that I had been through, and that was my surrender.

That was my bottom.

I was actually afraid.

I was 49 years old.

I was afraid to go back out.

I hadn't worked in 15 years.

Everything had changed.

It's important to tailor substance use disorder treatment to older adults for several reasons.

We know that they have complex needs, so whether it be that they have a chronic physical health condition along with a mental health and a substance use disorder, we need to ensure that their care is well coordinated.

So the kitchen is a little disheveled.

They say if you want what we have, you have to do what we do.

So I became a member of Narcotics Anonymous, and I started going to NA meetings every chance I could get, and I got a sponsor and a support network.

I had telephone numbers, and I went from there.

There are a few things that could set a relapse for older adults, and some of those things can be tied to social isolation, lack of peer support, not having peer support services that are really centered around their needs.

The same detox that I went to, I retired from in 2019 as a substance abuse counselor.

I stopped taking a drink or drugs or everything on February 10th, 1998, and I haven't picked up any of that since.

I'm a family member again, and I love it.

Well, I didn't think I would make it to the five years that they had when they would come and, you know, bring the message.

It seemed like forever, you know, unattainable.

If you are currently struggling with a substance use disorder, please know that treatment is available.

You can call 1-800-662-HELP.

That's 1-800-662-4357, and someone will be available to talk to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If I can do it, you can do it, and your life will change completely.

Being clean is one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life.