Eight Overdoses and the Reality of Reclaiming Life From Drugs

With more than 100,000 annual overdose deaths in the United States, reclaiming life from drugs has become a vital mission for families and communities. Behind those staggering statistics are children who lost parents and futures that were nearly extinguished. Two Hancock County residents are now stepping forward to share how they escaped that cycle.

Charlie Roberts and April Johnson each survived four separate overdoses. Today, they both work to help others find a way out of the same darkness they once inhabited. Their journeys are difficult to hear, but they serve as essential proof that recovery is possible.

Twenty Years on Heroin: Charlie’s Journey of Reclaiming Life From Drugs

Charlie Roberts has been free of drugs for 32 years. For two decades prior to his sobriety, heroin was the absolute center of his existence.

“I was a heroin addict. Heroin was my drug of choice, however, I did just about every drug under the sun,” Roberts said.

What began as a recreational habit escalated quickly into a financial and physical emergency. Roberts describes spending up to 500 dollars a day, not to chase a high, but simply to function. He explains that 25 dollars turned into 500 dollars a day just to stay well because of the withdrawals.

A judge eventually gave Roberts what he describes as a chance he did not deserve. That moment of mercy redirected his entire life. Today, Roberts runs his own counseling practice where he focuses on reclaiming life from drugs for others.

“Getting to watch them progress through, get their children back, and get a job, there is really nothing like it,” he said.

A Prescription, a Prison Cell, and a Daughter’s Song

April Johnson’s path into addiction began at a dentist’s surgery rather than on the street. A Lortab prescription introduced her to opioids, and that initial exposure led to a poly substance habit.

“When I am down, I would just do some cocaine to build me back up. When I would get too high up, I would take a Xanax, a little bit of extra methadone and I would come back down,” Johnson explained.

Because she grew up surrounded by drug use, Johnson says she never imagined a life without substances. She truly did not know there could be a life without drugs. The toll on her personal life was devastating, as she lost both parents and her sister to the crisis. She also served time in prison and survived four overdoses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose deaths in the United States have more than tripled since 1999. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl drive the majority of these fatalities. Johnson’s survival against those odds is remarkable.

The Moment Everything Changed

For Johnson, the shift toward reclaiming life from drugs came quietly in the back seat of her own car.

She was on her way to a relapse when she heard her young daughter Paisley singing. Looking in the rearview mirror, she found she could not pull her eyes away from the child. The moment she reached Slidell, she turned around and went back home. She considers that her pivotal realization.

That single moment became the turning point in her healing. Instead of reaching for substances that night, she chose her family.

From Survivor to Supporter

Today, April Johnson works as a recovery support specialist. She helps others navigate the same chaos she once lived through. She is very clear about what she wants people to know.

“There is help out there. All you have to do is ask,” she said.

Johnson points people toward the Sober Society Clinic and Clubhouse. This local facility offers Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and a range of other resources for reclaiming life from drugs.

Both Roberts and Johnson represent something the statistics cannot convey. Recovery is real, it takes root in ordinary moments, and the people most affected by addiction are often best placed to guide others through it.

If You Need Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, the Sober Society Clinic and Clubhouse offers AA, NA, and recovery resources. Reaching out is the first step.

Source: wlox