Not Your “Typical Junkie”

Heroin addiction, in particular, has become a growing problem across the United States and is a rather dangerous and slippery slope. Once someone gets caught up in the world of heroin addiction it can be rather difficult to find their way back out. Despite the powerful influence of this extremely destructive drug, it is important for families to not give up hope because it is possible to overcome this addiction and not only live a clean life but a productive one as well.

Kenzie’s Story:

“Before coming to Narconon my life wasn’t your average story of addiction. Growing up I had experimented with drugs, but never used them to excess, never abused prescriptions, nothing that would have ever predicted where I would end up. I was a varsity cheerleader all through high school; I danced professionally and was a full-time Pre-Physician Assistant student in college. I had the world at my fingertips until tragedy struck.

Over the span of a year, I had eight people close to me pass away, and I was never one to deal with my feelings. I always saw sadness and emotions as a weakness, and that was my downfall.

“Over the span of a year, I had eight people close to me pass away, and I was never one to deal with my feelings. I always saw sadness and emotions as a weakness, and that was my downfall. Unwilling to admit I was struggling so badly, this is where it all began. My entire freshman year I battled severe anxiety and depression along with crippling PTSD and nothing seemed to help. I then found out my boyfriend was smoking heroin and tried to help him stop using until curiosity got the best of me. In the blink of an eye, my life spiraled out of control. I stopped going to classes, yet somehow maintained almost a 4.0 GPA—which is why my family didn’t suspect anything. I drove from Fort Collins to Denver at least once a day, sometimes more for about 18 months to pick up drugs and sell.

“All day, every day was spent finding ways to get heroin and then sitting with my boyfriend in our rooms smoking heroin. The rare occasion when I was around my family I was so high I could hardly function, and they could tell something wasn’t right. My mood also changed and I was erratic and angry. As my addiction progressed I became very careless and totaled my car in October of 2016 in Denver while lying to my mom about where I was, and shouldn’t have lived. This is when my family really started to suspect something.

On October 25, 2016—the same day I planned to shoot up and overdose—I walked into an intervention.

Finally, after I told my best friend about my drug problem, she told my mom I was using heroin. On October 25, 2016—the same day I planned to shoot up and overdose—I walked into an intervention and willingly went with Matt W. and Kyle to Narconon, it is also the same day that my boyfriend went to a different treatment facility thanks to the amazing help of Kyle.

While at Narconon, it wasn’t always easy, I had times I tried to leave and fought the program, but in the end, all the amazing staff helped me through every step of the program and helped remind me why I was there to begin with. Without the specific help from Matt, Kyle, Julianna, Megan, Julie, Don, Turner, and all the amazing friends I met while at Narconon I wouldn’t be alive today, and I am so thankful. My program took me 72 days overall until I graduated, and I have now been clean for almost 5 months and so has my boyfriend.

Without Narconon, none of this would be possible and I now can say for the first time in a while that I am happy and love my life.

Because of all that Narconon taught me I am now able to handle almost every situation life throws at me without turning to heroin, and when I am unsure of what to do, I have amazing continued support from the staff members at Narconon, people I now consider to be great friends of mine. I could never have imagined all that was possible from getting clean as I thought I would die a junkie. I am now rebuilding relationships with my boyfriend and my family, I am a manager at my work after only a month and a half, I am repaying my debts to my family, and saving for a new car. Without Narconon, none of this would be possible and I now can say for the first time in a while that I am happy and love my life.”

Kenzie P.—Narconon Colorado Graduate