Vista Bay Graduate, Joni S.

Completed the Program in 2005

When I was 18, I started experimenting with drugs. Acid, ecstasy, Xanax and pot were a part of my everyday life. By the time I was 21, I was experimenting with cocaine. Then after awhile, cocaine didn’t do it for me anymore. So I “graduated” to methamphetamine. I ran to meth for any reason; whether I was happy, mad or sad, it didn’t matter. It seemed like meth was the only peace I had, or was ever going to have. In my mind I convinced myself that I could not function without meth. When I woke up in the morning, doing meth was the first thing in my mind. But fortunately, meth didn’t completely take over my brain before I came to my senses. After a while, I started to see what was happening and on January 14, 2005 I sat my mom down and confessed my drug addiction. Of course she was surprised, and more than a little upset. She called my dad, they discussed my drug problem and whether or not to send me to rehab. First, we went to see my doctor, who recommended VistaBay. I called and spoke with a helpful expert regarding my addiction. Within days, I had checked in to the facility. Going through withdrawal, sauna, and the life skills books literally brought me my life back. When I graduated the program on May 5, 2005, it was the most rewarding thing I had ever done for myself. I have now been on the staff at Vista Bay for a while now. I am the happiest I have been in a long time. I do still have things to work on, but the program here at VistaBay has given me the strength I need to overcome anything put in my path. Living without drugs is easy. It is much better than a living a drug filled life, where I don’t know if my last dose of drugs will be my last. I wake up every morning happy to be alive and ready to live life to the fullest. The staff here at Vista Bay saved my life. And now as a staff member I can give back and help save even more lives.

- Joni S.