My name is Ryan, and for over 25 years, I lived in a haze, jumping from one high to another. From coke to benzos to meth, I thought I had it all under control. But that was far from the truth.
I was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. My life was simple until my late teens, when I was introduced to a world that seemed to offer escape but eventually became a prison.
**The Downward Spiral**
I started experimenting with cocaine at parties. Soon, I moved on to heavier stuff. Life became a series of ups and downs, punctuated by moments when I felt invincible and times when I was down in the dumps.
**The Abyss**
I hit rock bottom on a cold winter night. I’d mixed a lethal cocktail of substances and collapsed in an alley. My heart raced uncontrollably, my vision blurred, and I felt like my life was hanging by a thread.
**The Wake-Up Call**
That night, an old friend found me and called 911. As I lay in the hospital, staring at the sterile white ceiling, I had an epiphany. I didn’t want to die; I wanted to live, to see my daughter have her baby, to be a grandparent.
**The Long Road to Recovery**
Recovery wasn’t easy. I attended countless therapy sessions, went to rehab, and leaned on my family for support. I replaced my cravings with a newfound love for science and technology, things that always fascinated me but I’d neglected over the years.
**The Message**
Today, I share my story not to glorify my past but as a stark warning. Drugs offer a temporary escape but take away so much more. I lost years, relationships, and nearly my life. If you’re on the edge, teetering between choices, take it from me: Choose life. Choose family. Choose yourself. Because trust me, the high is never worth the fall.
