Jacqueline Carter—20 Years Later She is Still Holding On

Life can be hard and Jacqueline Carter knows just how hard it can be. For 20 years, Carter suffered with a drug addiction, a disease that consumed her life and left her without family, friends, and hope. Carter, like many individuals who suffer from a drug addiction, made decisions that affected her life forever. Now drug-free, Carter is ready to share her story in hopes that others who are traveling the path to recovery can learn from her mistakes and turn their lives around before it is too late.

Originally from Indiana, Carter grew up in an abusive household and needed an outlet. For Carter, the outlet was drugs, and at the mere age of 15 she tried marijuana for the first time. After running away from home, then cycling through the foster care system, Carter found herself alone.

With no money, no home, no support, Carter turned to prostitution at age 18 to make ends meet. At this point, she started experimenting with other drugs. Carter later found herself consumed with the thought of getting high, and it was then she realized she was an addict. She could no longer control what was happening around her, and she could feel herself spiraling out of control. Over the next several years, Carter was in and out of drug treatment programs and eventually in and out of jail where she lost her will and ambition for change.

"Living as an addict you subject yourself to a very dangerous environment," Carter said. "I have been stabbed, raped, and physically abused, I was not happy but at that time I could not change."

In April 2007, Carter was given the opportunity to participate in the Maryhaven Women's Center Program and she knew this time things would be different, it had to work. Carter recalls a quote from one of her counselors during her recovery that always stuck with her, "This road you're walking, this road of abuse and addiction, can only lead to three things: jail, an institution, or death; you choose."

Carter's probation officer informed her if she did not change her lifestyle, if she did not get clean, she was going to jail and would serve a full five-year sentence. Carter remembers, "I was tired of living this lifestyle, I was tired of being addicted to drugs, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired."

The Maryhaven Women's Center provides women, like Carter, a home-like setting with extensive support and supervision. While in the program, women build their skills and confidence to become self-sufficient, including achieving employment, further education, and independent housing. Reuniting families is also a priority, and the program provides parenting education, childcare, and families counseling to repair relationships that have been damaged by past addiction.

Now 39 years old, Carter lives in one of Maryhaven's Recovery Homes and is doing well. In January 2008, Carter celebrated her one-year anniversary of sobriety. Carter attests, "You can't do this for anyone else, you have to do this for yourself, you have to want this personally for yourself, otherwise it won't work."

Carter was recently reunited with her daughter, now 20 years old, and is excited to start building a relationship with her as well as the rest of her family. In the next few months, Carter will begin taking classes to get her GED and will also receive counseling to help her cope with her memory loss. Carter is involved in many activities in her spare time with her Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Group which includes going bowling, shopping, and going to the movies.

"I am happy now, thanks to the help of the people at Maryhaven and the folks over at ADAMH who help make Maryhaven's programs possible. I am very grateful, they saved my life."