What intrigues me about Korei's story is finding out why she chose to go down the path of addiction. It is probably the most frequently asked question parents, siblings and friends must have. Why? Why did this individual choose to put herself and people who care about her through so much pain?
Korei didn't have a troubled childhood. Her parents were kind, loving and upstanding people. They homeschooled her until she was ready to attend college. At that moment she was 15 and had not known any abuse, violence or molestation.
During my interview with her, she mentioned that she had always been an adventurer - a thrill-seeker. It sounded like this teenaged-girl who was smart enough to be ready for college at 15 was looking to enjoy her young life to its fullest. She made some friends in the hippie scene and quickly got pulled into their carefree lifestyle. She enjoyed the fun, the light-heartedness and started traveling the nation to attend various festivals. It was a good time, filled with adventure, meeting interesting people and doing fun things.
Although Korei claimed that only good people surrounded her, I cannot ignore the fact that they introduced her to all kinds of drugs, and that they did not protect her, a minor, from all the dangerous substances. Slowly but surely Korei started using a multitude of drugs, including marijuana, psychedelics, ecstasy, opium, heroin, and meth.
It was far too late when Korei realized that she was no longer just enjoying drugs, but that she was physically and mentally dependent.
At the age of 24, nine years after her first experience with drugs, something unusual happened.When there was no hope left, an innate need for harmony and peace emerged within Korei, and she suddenly wanted to be healed from the disease of addiction.
I asked her why she was able to change her mind after all these years of carelessness. She responded that she had come to realize that she had gotten cruel and lost all morale. She had never been such a person. She had been a child that used to enjoy company and fun, and now she found herself lonely because she no longer wanted to be around people that didn't use. Her priorities were off too, as she cared more about the procurement of drugs than the well-being of herself and the people she loved.
Can we take a moment to celebrate the fact that deep inside of Korei a healthy and wonderful conscience of righteousness and health had subsisted through nine years of downwards spiraling into addiction?
"There was a moment of clarity all of a sudden."
What follows is an inspiring journey of finding sobriety with the help of Korei's mother. She admitted that she had no idea how to escape addiction alone.
"What saved my life was getting a sponsor, following the steps and finding contact with a higher power."
If you are like me and you have no idea what the infamous 12 steps are all about, then let me share Korei's summary with you:
As Korei pointed out, they are all about relationships.I have to notice that the presence or absence of healthy relationships can be either the cause to fall or the inspiration to rise.Korei's journey has brought her to a simple but invaluable insight:
"Humans are relational beings, and I am more centered when I have balanced relationships."
She says that what prevents her from relapsing is not knowing how bad it was but understanding how good it is now!
Simple things like laughing, being self-supportive, reliable and being an excellent partner to a loving boyfriend are what make her feel like a human being again.
Can you see a pattern through this story?
It's a story about relationships.
It's a story about seeking fulfillment.
It's a story about a spiritual void.
May I suggest that this is a story about finding purpose?
Korei describes that her fantastic work as a member of the Windmill Wellness Ranch's team is what substitutes her thirst for adventure and thrill. The gratitude she now gets to experience when she can help other people succeed is what filled her spiritual void.
Created specifically for those who have loved ones that struggle with addiction.