The Hell I Lived Through in Bristol
If you had seen me a few years ago, you probably would’ve crossed the street to avoid me. And I wouldn’t have blamed you. I was deep in addiction—meth and fentanyl had turned me into someone I didn’t recognize. What started as partying in Bristol, Tennessee, led to blackouts in Bristol, Virginia, then overdoses in alleys, shelters, and the backseats of cars. My life was one long panic attack, interrupted only by chasing the next high.
Living on the state line meant I always felt like I was running—from police, from pain, from people who cared about me. I burned bridges in both Bristols. I stole from friends. I lied to family. I manipulated anyone who tried to help. I remember digging through trash cans behind a gas station off Commonwealth Avenue, trembling from withdrawal, crying because I couldn’t find anything to get me through the next hour. I was sick, I was exhausted, and I was sure I was going to die.
And the scariest part? I didn’t even care anymore. Meth had me wired and paranoid, unable to sleep. Fentanyl had me nodding off, sometimes in the middle of a conversation or behind the wheel. Every breath felt like it could be my last. I overdosed twice. Once, I woke up in the ER; the other time, I didn’t wake up until a stranger gave me Narcan behind a Dollar General. That was my rock bottom.
But rock bottom was also my beginning.
Recovery Gave Me Back My Life
I used to think recovery was a myth—something that worked for other people but never for someone as far gone as me. But recovery isn’t magic. It’s not easy. It’s a choice—a hard one—that you make every single day. And that choice gave me back everything I thought I had lost forever.
My Mind and Body Began to Heal
When I got sober, it was like waking up from a nightmare. Slowly, I started to sleep again. I began to eat, to feel, to think clearly. The shakes stopped. The hallucinations faded. I could look in the mirror without flinching. My body didn’t feel like a war zone anymore—it felt like a home I was finally taking care of.
I Repaired Relationships
Addiction makes you push people away. Recovery gives you the chance to make amends. I wrote letters. I made phone calls. I showed up where I hadn’t before. My sister finally let me see my niece again. My mom hugged me without crying. Trust takes time, but recovery gave me the tools to rebuild what I destroyed.
I Found Real Support
Recovery introduced me to people who understood me without judgment. Whether it was group therapy, NA meetings, or talking to my counselor, I realized I wasn’t the only one who felt broken. I found connection, accountability, and encouragement from people who were just like me—but a little further down the road.
I Discovered Purpose
Addiction stole my goals. Recovery helped me dream again. I went back to school. I picked up a guitar I hadn’t touched in years. I started mentoring others in early recovery. I realized my story had power—that even my worst moments could help someone else survive.
Why I Chose Hopkins Medical Association—and Why You Should Too
I tried to get clean before—more than once. I’d go a few days or even a couple weeks, but the cravings, the stress, and the shame always brought me back to using. What I needed wasn’t just detox. I needed comprehensive, compassionate care—and that’s exactly what I found at Hopkins Medical Association.
1. They Treated Me Like a Human, Not a Diagnosis
When I walked into Hopkins Medical Association, I didn’t feel judged. I felt seen. The intake team looked me in the eye, listened to my story, and asked me what I wanted from recovery—not what I’d done wrong. That respect made all the difference.
2. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) That Works
Hopkins helped me start Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) treatment, which drastically reduced my cravings and gave me the ability to function. It wasn’t a crutch—it was a ladder out of the hole I’d been stuck in. Combined with counseling, MAT became the foundation of my recovery.
3. Mental Health Support That Changed Everything
I didn’t just need help with addiction—I needed help with anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Hopkins offered psychiatric evaluations, chronic care management, and therapy to address the underlying issues that fed my substance use. They looked at the whole picture, not just one piece.
4. Group and Individual Therapy
Hopkins provided both one-on-one counseling and group therapy, which helped me process trauma, learn new coping strategies, and build a network of sober support. Therapy wasn’t just talk—it was action. I finally had a safe space to unpack the weight I’d been carrying.
5. They Understand the Needs of Bristol Residents
Whether you’re on the Tennessee side or the Virginia side, Hopkins knows the unique challenges people in this region face. They understand the opioid crisis, the lack of transportation, the stigma of seeking help in a small town, and they’ve built a program that works around real life, not just paperwork.
6. Ongoing Support That Doesn’t End at the Door
Hopkins helped me access resources for housing, job training, and transportation. They even helped me apply for insurance coverage and medical assistance. I never felt like I was just a number in a system. They walked beside me through every step of the process.
Your Life Is Not Over—It’s Just Waiting to Begin
If you’re still using—if you’re caught in the grip of meth or fentanyl—I want you to hear this: you are not alone, and you are not beyond saving. I was you. And now I’m free.
Free to wake up without fear.
Free to laugh with my family.
Free to go to sleep without needing something to numb the pain.
Free to make plans, to show up, to belong.
Recovery is possible.
Healing is possible.
Hope is possible.
And if you’re in Bristol, Virginia or Bristol, Tennessee, Hopkins Medical Association is right here—ready to help you take that first step.
Contact Hopkins Medical Association Today
“I thought I had nothing left to live for. Hopkins helped me see I had everything left to live for.” — Former patient
You Were Meant for More Than Addiction
You were meant for joy.
You were meant for family dinners, for long walks, for real love.
You were meant to feel the sun on your face without wondering where your next fix is coming from.
You were meant to live.
Let Hopkins Medical Association help you get there.
Take the First Step. Call Hopkins Medical Association Now.
Don’t let shame keep you from getting help. Don’t wait for rock bottom. Don’t write yourself off.
Because if I can come back from where I was, so can you.