Sarah Hicks, a courageous advocate for recovery, has shared a deeply moving account of her battle against trauma, addiction, and abusive relationships. Through sheer determination and a profound personal transformation, Sarah’s story highlights the dangers of substance use and the impact of untreated trauma.

Growing up in a household where connection felt scarce, Sarah experienced her first exposure to alcohol at just ten years old. Experimenting with substances quickly became a way to cope with childhood anxiety, bullying, and a search for identity. By her teenage years, her substance use had escalated from alcohol to cannabis, ecstasy, and cocaine. “When I look back, I always felt different,” she recalls. “Drinking and smoking weed gave me the confidence to be who I thought I wanted to be.”

Her teenage years also marked the start of a series of abusive relationships. These relationships, often intertwined with substance use, left a particularly damaging mark. “At the time, I didn’t realise what I was experiencing was abuse,” Sarah explains, touching on both the physical and coercive control. “I thought he treated me that way because he loved me.”

One relationship turned violent during her pregnancy, when Sarah’s partner physically assaulted her, endangering both her life and that of her unborn child. Despite years of enduring verbal insults, gaslighting, and physical violence, Sarah struggled to recognise the relationship’s toll on her mental health and self-worth. “For years, I believed this was normal,” she says, reflecting on how deeply ingrained patterns of control can obscure the perception of abuse.

Her pain reached its height after a devastating miscarriage at 18 and the sudden death of her father just years later. These losses sent her into a spiral of heavy drinking and drug use. She became trapped in a cycle of self-destruction, using substances to numb the unbearable void left by grief and emotional trauma. “It wiped me out completely,” Sarah admits. “I stopped caring about myself.”

Finally, in 2016, Sarah hit rock bottom, as her partner’s escalating abuse left her physically and emotionally broken. Spurred on by the honest advice of a supportive friend, she sought help and began to untangle herself from the cycles of addiction and codependency.

Today, Sarah stands as a beacon of hope for others facing similar struggles. Her recovery, she explains, is a daily process that requires consistent effort. While the scars of her past remain, she sees herself as living proof that change is possible. “Every day, I wake up and work on myself,” she says. “It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it.”

Sarah’s testimony holds a powerful message about the hidden costs of substance use and the ripple effects it can have on relationships, families, and communities. Her story not only sheds light on the dangers of addiction but also challenges us all to reimagine a world free of the harms caused by alcohol and drugs.

Source: Believe in Podcast