Tom's Story (2 minutes, 28 seconds)

In April of 2006 I came to a juncture in my life, where I couldn't live without drugs and I couldn't live with drugs any longer. I'm forty-nine years old and I had progressed from twelve years old (the first time) experimenting with marijuana, to opiates and alcohol, and into a full blown crack addict. And I was addicted to various other drugs through the course of my lifetime. I lost family, my job and have been virtually homeless. I went through the state of Alabama and had an assessment. And I went through Pearson Hall, which is a state funded facility. Finished there, went through the Fellowship House in Birmingham, which is a state funded facility. Went back to my hometown and went through an IOP program at the mental health facility. I completed that, six months there, and then I volunteered after that for nine months. I got involved with FORMLL, and also have reenrolled in school. I am piecing my life back together. Today I live a much fuller, a much happier life. I am involved in a twelve step program. Also I am on the Substance Abuse Coordinating Committee which is organized and led by Kent Hunt, the Associate Commissioner of Substance Abuse. But there have been a lot of good things happening in my life and it's mainly due to the state of Alabama and the programs they offer. And without that I would probably be dead or still homeless and on drugs. They were there when I needed help, and I can't say enough good things. You know I came to a point where my life was just full of despair and darkness and I had to reach out. The programs are there, but you can't do it alone. You've got to reach out. You've got to have help. Because without help you cannot make it, you've got to have help. And its there! You just to have it, got to reach out and say hey I can't do this alone. And its there! There are people willing to help, if you are willing to help yourself.