Alison's story

            My name is Alison and I am a 21 year old recovering addict. I have been drug and alcohol free for nearly three years. I began using mind altering substances my sophomore year of high school. I began using "Socially," but it didn't take too long for my use to turn into a daily obsession and compulsion. Soon after that , my life began to spiral downhill. Consequences of all types began to pop up in my life - academic, social, emotional, legal, etc. Three years after picking up that first drug, I hit my bottom.

            In July of 2008, after leaving the hospital, my mother took me to The McShin Foundation. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I told myself that I'd be willing to give this place a shot. At this point, all I knew was that I didn't want to keep doing what I was doing. I told myself that I would stay at this organization for at least 30 days. I ended up staying for four months. Toward the end of my time at McShin, the organization provided me with a wide variety of tools and resources that I could continue to use upon my release. After leaving the women's recovery house in November of 2008, I felt confident that I could continue to do well in my recovery if I kept doing what I was doing. While in Mcshin I had my ups and downs - but all in all, I was (and am still) grateful for the experiences I had there. Today, I am able to assist and give back to the current clients of McShin, seeing that "I've been there done that." I am truly grateful to the McShin Foundation for showing me a new way to live.