As a teenager, I got caught up in abusing meth and Ritalin to cope with my anxiety and the chaos around me. I didn’t realize how dangerous it was until I went through the painful withdrawal process. I had to lean on a close friend and her mother to help me detox, and it was one of the hardest but most pivotal moments of my life. After that, I stayed sober from stimulants, but it wasn’t easy. I found myself constantly battling urges and struggling to feel “normal” without the boost stimulants gave me. But through that struggle, I began to realize that the real work wasn’t just about staying away from drugs—it was about learning to live without them. It took years of self-reflection, therapy, and support from others to find healthier ways to cope, but now, nine years sober from stimulant use, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve learned how to thrive in recovery, and I know that anyone else can do it too.