Surviving addiction, and taking life one day at a time

By, Tony Doyle Nov. 23, 2022

Gracie Randall is taking life one day at a time.

She has struggled for much of her life and living with unfulfilled goals is something she has learned to deal with over the past few years.

Randall is a recovering drug addict who, when using, has faced many obstacles.

At 19 she had her first child and at 21 had her second. By the time her son turned four, she had lost both children due to her addiction. That caused Randall to spiral out of control.

Gracie Randall says it's relieving to be sober and able to live her life normally again. (Tony Doyle photo)

“I lost everything; I didn’t have anything to live for anymore.”

She ended up homeless, bouncing from relationship to relationship, not for love but for a place to stay and get drugs.

“It was easier to use with someone else than being alone.”

After being homeless for a couple of years, Randall landed in an abusive relationship that lasted six years.

“I was not allowed to shower by myself. I would have to wait for him to wash himself first while I waited in the back of the shower cold, wet, naked, and afraid, “said Randall.

“It is something to this day that still affects me when I shower, even though I know he is not there.”

For a long time, Randall lost the will to live. Then one day, while watching David Dobrik a YouTube influencer that posts videos of him with his friends giving away prizes or playing pranks on one another. She realized she could be those people and her will to live returned.

She knew she had to leave the abusive relationship as quickly as possible.

She got into a woman’s shelter in Lennox Island. Shortly after, Randall applied to Lennon Recovery House in Rustico. She was accepted to Lennon House within a month.

“Lennon House gave me a new reset on my life and taught me how to deal with emotions that everyone has and gave me tools that would help me cope with everyday things people deal with,” said Randall.

“Lennon House has also introduced me to life-long friends that I hope to be in connection with for the rest of my life.”

Randall volunteers with Narcotics Anonymous in Charlottetown and serves as the general service representative for her home group, Steps to Freedom at the Kirk of St James in Charlottetown.

Randall has been clean for more than two years. She credits NA and Lennon House for being a big part of how she got there.

“I’m doing the slow game of recovery, to build a foundation so solid that when I decided to put something heavy on it, it doesn’t crack,” said Randall.

She wants to go back to school to be a psychotherapist because she believes she is meant to help other people in similar situations as her.

“Hurt people hurt people, and healed people heal people,” she said.

Gracie Randall during her addiction. (Photo submitted by Tony Doyle)

Kelsey Ford is also a recovering addict who, in her using days, missed out on some major events in her life.

The biggest thing for her was missing out on her high school prom, after she had already purchased her dress, due to her addiction.

Ford also missed getting her high school diploma, since she didn’t attend school very often.

“My addiction was getting the best of me, nothing really mattered to me at the point other than my friends and using.”

Missing out on these major events eventually led her to drop out of high school.

It also affected her mental health. She had very low self-esteem. She was compulsive and gave up easily when she attempted to try to do anything.

Ford was 21 when she finally went to rehab and started to get her life back on track. While there, Ford earned the five credits, she was missing and earned her high school diploma.

Ford now has over nine years clean and accepts the things she has gone through in her life.

While in school she had time to think about her goals.

Ford wants to become a social worker and work with people in the mental health and addiction field. She is unsure if she is ready, however since the field involves a lot of emotionally draining work.

“I’m content of where I am now, and my experiences have shaped me into the person I am today.”