ADAA Personal Story: Sobriety and Meditation: Finding My Purpose after Drug Abuse

[ADAATeamRachel]

"I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, where I spent my childhood playing sports, hanging out with friends, and doing well academically. I graduated in 2015 with a BS in Business Management from Indiana University. Despite outward success, I had been abusing drugs and alcohol since middle school, a habit I developed to escape emotions I didn’t know how to handle," Pat Smith says.

"I began meditating and listening to personal development podcasts like Lewis Howes and Ed Mylett. Slowly, meditation became a habit, helping me manage my emotions better. I shifted my focus from external appearances to internal growth, finding a new purpose in improving my overall well-being."

Read Pat's personal story of mental health and how he overcame drug abuse: adaa.org/living-with-anxiet...