Welcome to Allison Edwards' Personal Page
My dive into addiction began when I was a young teen. It started with a little bit of weed or alcohol, then progressed as I started to experiment more. I had periods of sobriety (mostly after I would get caught) that usually lasted less than a year at a time and were defined by "switching" my preferred substance out to avoid getting myself into trouble again. This was a vicious cycle throughout my teen years and well into my young adult years, and each time I would cycle through my preferences, my addiction and mental health worsened. I had yet to experience any periods of true recovery.
My bottom led me to abusive relationships, homelessness in an unfamiliar city, being disconnected from my family and anyone who knew me, and most of all, disconnected from myself. I was not allowed in the city detox centers. I faced prison time for criminal charges. I was briefly trespassed from the local homeless shelters and if I was oriented enough to the time of day, I might have made it to a meal site. My bottom broke me down and beat me up from every angle it could.
In September of 2019, I found out I was pregnant. My mom flew across the US to advocate for a bed in a treatment center for me, where I was eventually granted an interstate compact to Maine at the end of my first trimester. I was introduced to recovery slowly, and then the pandemic hit, halting any community connection.
After I delivered my healthy baby girl, I needed recovery, not just sobriety. I moved into the McAuley Residence near the end of 2020, and it became my community. I met other women who walked in shoes just like mine and wanted to become better versions of themselves. McAuley taught me important skills on how to be a present parent and supported my goal of finishing my degree so I can enter the work force career ready. Most of all, McAuley gave me a program of recovery that I was able to take with me after I graduated.
Today I get to model these skills to my 3 year old daughter who never has to see me at my bottom, as long as I continue to employ the recovery I have gained.
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