The ancient symbol known as “yin-yang” illustrates that our reality operates in a constant struggle to maintain balance. When our physiological balance is thrown off by using drugs to induce happiness, our internal equilibrium must regain balance by following that pleasure with extreme feelings of despair.

Eventually, I came to realize that my drug-induced highs were nowhere near good enough to justify all my abysmal lows. My mornings used to begin with a race between my eyes opening and my withdrawals starting. Between using my first drug, finding my favorite drug, and hitting rock bottom, I was someone who wanted help for so many reasons.

I discovered that medication-assisted treatment could support my recovery from addiction. Methadone maintenance treatment has given me a second chance at happiness and has taught me to value long-term, sustainable contentment above short-term, shallow, drug-induced pleasure.

I continue to be committed to my recovery because I love my family, my country, and the compassionate recovery community who has supported me. The moral of my story is that with treatment and counseling I have been able to stay alive, keep my job, earn my bachelor’s degree in philosophy, and pursue happiness. If I had stayed on drugs, my story was destined to be a tragedy about a person falling far short of their potential.