For years, MemawS and her husband ran a successful small business and spent quality time with her children and grandchildren. But the couple had a secret they’d successfully hidden from everyone for about 14 years. When it came out, MemawS’s world came crashing down.
Earlier this year, MemawS’s daughter, the mother of her cherished grandchildren, accidentally stumbled on her stash of drugs. “She found my meth,” MemawS said. “That’s the last time I talked to her.”
To date, the two haven’t repaired their relationship, but, alongside her husband and with the support of their 15-year-old son, MemawS is committed to changing that. Immediately after her daughter’s discovery, MemawS went into detox, then rehabilitation. At the rehab center, she was introduced to the Connections app, drawn in quickly by the conversation in the community. It all felt so familiar.
“I realized there were so many people on there just like me who were in their recovery journey, and I wanted that,” she said.
Living in a small town, there are few local resources, so MemawS turns to Connections every day to find the support she needs to work through her emotions and stay in recovery. “The first thing I do in the morning is the daily check-in, before I even have coffee and a cigarette,” she said.
She enjoys the meditations and is actively involved in the community. She especially loves it when she can help someone else with their journey. “Everybody joins in, and everybody helps everybody else,” she said. “Whatever you need, you can find.”
MemawS is grateful for the Connections app, which helps her bravely face the challenges ahead, and she encourages others to give it a try. “I’m sure it’s saved my life,” she said. “It provides more support than you can imagine from all over the country. People in every different situation are there. There’s someone on the app that understands where you’re at and can help you.”
Voices of Recovery shares authentic stories from individuals who use CHESS Health’s digital recovery solutions. Participants voluntarily share their recovery journey and how our digital support solutions have helped them throughout. All stories are published using aliases and with explicit permission from each individual, and participants choose their own images that either represent their story or resonate with them as part of their recovery journey.
