Samantha Bushika is a survivor with a story she finds inspirational, one that has already saved lives. She celebrates eight years of sobriety in March, marking a journey away from a lifelong addiction to using and selling heroin. Her battle with addiction led her into an unjust justice system, where she became a scapegoat in her small Vermont town's first heroin bust. Despite possessing no heroin herself—it was found in her roommate's possession—Samantha was unfairly targeted due to her circumstances as a poor 20-year-old with addict parents.

Over two decades, Samantha endured what she calls "Life on the Installment Plan," facing repeated incarcerations for non-violent, drug-related offenses, some of which are no longer criminal. Despite completing treatment successfully twice during 14-day rehab stints, she was labeled a treatment failure. Each jail term stripped her of her mental health and maintenance medications, often leaving her isolated in solitary confinement for months.

In 2016, at the age of 35, a tragedy led to an unexpected turn: Samantha found herself pregnant. Despite never desiring children and doubting her maternal instincts, she saw this as an opportunity for love and redemption. With nothing but a correctional GPS ankle monitor and a 450 credit score, she checked into a homeless shelter, determined to build a better life for her unborn child.

Driven by a desire to help others, Samantha launched her blog, "Progressing Not Perfecting," aiming to support people on a larger scale. Despite facing stigma within her niche and financial challenges, she remains committed to her mission, tirelessly working 18-hour days to #provethemallwrong and #showthemwhatwecando. With a domain rating of around 65 and 27k followers on Instagram, she has built a platform to share her message of hope and resilience.

Despite her achievements, Samantha struggles to be taken seriously due to her past as a heroin user in recovery. Yet, she remains undeterred, reaching out to potential collaborators and expressing her willingness to work together for mutual benefit.

https://addicted.org/supe

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Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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