At the age of 19, I moved from small-town Pennsylvania to New York City to pursue a career in acting. I was exposed to new people, new challenges and a completely new way of life; a way of life that included drugs. I tried pot, acid, cocaine, and ecstasy.

Drugs made me willing to forget my dream. I started using more and more.

Within five months, my life completely changed. I worked only to support my habit. My weekends were spent popping pills and dancing at clubs. I rarely ate or slept, and when I did sleep, I had nightmares and panic attacks. I ignored my deteriorating condition, until one night I began to hallucinate uncontrollably.  I spent the next 14 days in a psychiatric ward receiving treatment.

While in the hospital, my doctor performed a neuro-spec scan of my brain.

The scan showed the damage that I had inflicted upon myself through repeated drug abuse; the image of my brain was compared to that of a 70-year old woman who had suffered multiple strokes. I was then told I must swallow more pills in order to get better. I was placed on antipsychotics, antidepressants, sleeping medications, and mood stabilizers; basically trading one set of drugs for another.

I never wanted to become an addict, but it happened anyway. When I was offered drugs in a posh New York City apartment, it didn’t seem like a dangerous choice to make. Once I’d experienced the “high” of drugs, it was easy to go back to them; to ease my nerves, to get over a bad day, for an extra burst of energy. The outcome was frightening and life-altering. I was lucky enough to survive and, through determination, recover.

Today, I dedicate myself to educating others about the perils of substance abuse because I’ve been there and know. I went public with my story in hopes of preventing others from making the same mistakes. I have appeared on several television shows including Oprah and MTV’s True Life. I am an advisory board member of the Partnership for a Drug Free America and have testified before Congress for reforms in drug education and policy. My book, “Rolling Away, My Agony with Ecstasy” was published by Simon and Schuster and I am currently in the process of publishing my second book, “Dear Addict.”

I have been given a second chance, and that is not something everyone gets.

Please feel free to contact me for more information. I currently reside in Southern California and would love the opportunity to reach out to even more people in this country and world. Thank you for the important work that you do.

 

1010 Vermont Ave. #708
Washington, DC 20005
Phone (202) 737-0690
Fax (202) 737-0695