“My name is ____, I am 38 years old, and I suffered from substance abuse for 14 years.”

At the age of 24, ___ became pregnant with a daughter. Beginning a family was a dream and after her daughter was born, she experienced a joy she had never known. Despite this new-found happiness, ___ was trapped in an addiction that would impact her life in more ways than she could imagine.

Drugs continued to gain a stronger and stronger hold on her life and, as she became more reliant on their effects, her motivation to care for her daughter began to decrease. ____’s mother, struggling with a dependency on alcohol, did all she could to support her daughter and granddaughter but ultimately could not find a way to manage.

When ___’s daughter was six years old, they decided they could no longer care for the child and arranged for a friend’s family to take over responsibility.

Years have passed and today ___’s daughter is 14 years old.

____’s mother has passed away leaving her alone with the devastating effects of substance abuse. Addiction, poor health, and depression all became the description of her daily life and mental state.

By a miracle, someone who cared deeply brought her story to the House of Hope. In one month, she has begun to recover and has made the decision to step away from the substances that tore her life and family apart.

She has taken steps to mend her relationship with her daughter and through regular, healthy communication, they plan to reunite in the months to come.

At the House of Hope, our Crisis and Conflict team helps mothers reconnect with their children in a safe environment that promotes and restores trust by teaching mothers how to be present and take responsibility for their lives after trauma or substance abuse.