Addiction is common but is always a sore subject to talk about. Millions of people in the United States struggle with drug addiction. Many come out alive some but some are less fortunate and do not. Kaleigh’s battle with addiction has taught her to appreciate a life lived sober.

Kaleigh started her battle with addiction when she was put on Adderall by a doctor at the age of thirteen years old. She was then taken off nine months later. Ever since then she's chased the feeling she got from the pills on and off until eighteen. At the age of fourteen, she started taking heroin. Later on, she quit heroin when she overdosed in the school bathroom 6 days after her 16th birthday. At the age of fourteen, she started to drink alcohol.

While she was addicted to cocaine at the age of 15 she later ended up quitting. When in the middle of an abusive relationship that lasted a year and a half she figured out she was pregnant with her oldest son through it all she was Verbally and physically abused by her Boyfriend.  She stopped doing everything when she got into trouble with the law and they said they were going to send her to prison for 25 years to life and she would lose her son if she didn't follow her probation.

She overcame her drug addiction for her family. She lost everything during her addiction: her house, her family, her life, her car, and her son. She also overcame her addiction knowing her husband and kids needed her.

Sometimes going through struggles can shape our lives in a good way. She had many struggles leading to one big one and they led her back to the right path which was being a sober person. Millions of people in the United States struggle with drug addiction Kaleigh is not only my sister but she's one of many that made it out alive.

Sometimes we forget people are important. You never know when someone might be  taken away from you. Don't ever forget to cherish someone. Right now many people are getting deported and it's sad. Many kids are losing their parents and are most likely never going to see them. One of my friend’s cousins were deported. They weren't so close but they did talk every once in a while.  My friend learned that the struggles we go through can teach us to value people.

The first step of being deported is getting arrested. When someone gets arrested they go to jail afterward. In this case, this person went to court. Deciding what to do with someone on the first day of the court is difficult so nothing really happened that day. After court, he went back to jail. The family tried to bail him out but it didn't work. This was because it cost too much money.  At this point, it was time to try something else.

The first thing that came to mind was marrying an American citizen to see if he could stay.  Everyone was in such a rush that he just married a random girl. She agreed to marry him because she wanted to help him in any way possible.  They had a little ceremony and both said: “I do”. Now they are married. No one really knew who she was. He only met the girl once and got married on the second day they met.  They saw each other for the first time in court. Then the next time he went to court she said she would marry him. Things weren't going so well and nothing went the way it was supposed to. Marrying the girl was completely useless.  The court said that he couldn't stay.   When things don't go as planned it seems like everything goes wrong. Everyone had very little hope that things were going to turn out as planned.

Things don't always get solved the first time in court so he went to court again. Things didn't go so well at that time either. At court, this family found out he was going to get deported. One of the family members dropped off his things in Detroit. A few days passed, and he was gone. He was deported and dropped off in Mexico.

Sometimes people don't value each other until it is too late. At some point in our lives, we will go through something we cant fix. Family is important even if we might not talk to them much. It's ok to argue with someone but you have to forgive them. Be kind to everyone you have and cherish them. You never know if it is the last time you are going to see someone.  Just because someone seems and looks happy doesn't mean that their life is perfect. When you lose someone, you look back at all your amazing memories together and feel like you just lost the world.

Sometimes you have to learn the hard lessons for your own good. Getting in trouble can change you into a better person. It shows you how to mature. People will take you seriously if you change. Without getting in trouble people won't know how to change. My best friend is an example of how getting in trouble can change you for the better.

There were many reasons he got in trouble.  In class, he talked too much which was a problem.  Even when he did work alone he constantly talked and eventually, he got sent to the office. There were times where he messed around without even thinking about what he was doing. It was bad because most of the time because he would do things and never realize that he was hurting someone else.  He was always embarrassing himself. He did things that embarrassed his family, which wasn't good. He never listened. This really became a problem that was tough to deal with and was a big deal for his family.

He wanted to change because he wanted to be a better person. He wanted to make his family proud and keep his family name a good one. His parents were not so happy with him so he wanted to make them proud by going out of his way to be a good person. His parents deserve to at least say that they have a good son. The school staff had to deal with him a lot and it wasn't good. They got tired of him getting in trouble because they had other kids to deal with and him getting in trouble made it harder on them. It started to get better but he still but still needed to work on some things.

My friend acted like a fool everywhere he went. He also would bring this behavior to-the soccer field. There was one time that he acted up in a church which was a huge deal because his mom was had to teach him a lesson the hard way for being disrespectful in church. He messed around so much it got to the point where he ended up hurting himself messing around which involves hurting himself and busting his lip open. He realized then that he wasn't being smart with his actions and knew that he had to change before something really bad happened. Luckily, he started making small changes and is now better in school and other places. He accomplished what he wanted and made his family proud.

If he continued to act in the same manner as he did before, he would have flunked a grade or may even have to take special classes. But his family was more important to him. It was important to make his family proud because he wanted people to see that his family was the best. His sister was really worried for him. She was fearing that he was taking the wrong steps. She always tried to help him and she did what was good for him and for his image. His story is a reminder that when you have people in your life that hold you to a higher standard, you will meet them there.

My sister has struggled with horseback riding. She is a good example of how the struggles we go through make us and break us. She has her ups and downs just like anyone else. She is an eleven-year-old girl who has gone through so much in so little time. She is fearful for her future and the struggles to come.

My sister became very stressed with horseback riding. Because of her stress, she took a break from horseback riding. You can win money when you compete and win one or more of the top three spots. Riding a horse gives you space away from stressful things or people. When riding a horse you risk getting hurt physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Her struggle with horseback riding has made her and her horse develop a stronger bond. Her skills have improved in horseback riding. She has fallen off of her horse many times before. She has been thrown into a fence by her horse and she has been bruised but she continues to live her dream.

She has become an inspiration to many people including me. She has gained many more strengths in many things. She has gained strength in her horseback riding goals. Mallory has gotten first place at a weekend horse show. She has become a tougher girl throughout the years with riding her horse and in general.

Sometimes our tough times get us further along and build us up but they can break us as well. Although she has been through many ups and downs, she continues to do her best and never gives up.

Just persevere through life's struggles and you will be able to get through. Sometimes people will hurt you, and that's ok It will make you a stronger person in the long run. My father is the Meat Department Manager at Walmart and he is still working hard toward his dreams while dealing with many struggles. He is an example of how not giving up on your dreams will lead you to be a stronger person and try harder.

My dad was born and raised in Allegan, MI. He had gone to Allegan public schools his whole life from what I'm aware of. By the time that he had graduated from high school he had no interest in achieving a higher education so he had tried to rush into adulthood. He had got a job as soon as he could. He then proceeded on with his life and got a girlfriend, apparently, He had met this woman while he was working at Pet Life, an old store that has since been rebranded and moved down south. According to him, he was a machine operator for making dog food and treats. While he had already been working there first, she came along as a packager in the same area. Later they soon started talking to get to know each other better and even went on a few dates. Things then snowballed as relationships do and they got married. His wife had already been with somebody else and they had a kid together. This left my father with a 50/50 split of taking care of this child. As he had become more and more invested in this relationship he had to figure out how to take care of a child as he went. He then realized that it was necessary for him to achieve a higher education if he wanted to make it anywhere in life so he had tried to go to college online and get a bachelor's degree. So now he has to balance taking care of a child and his wife, managing his job, and going to college online.

Before my dad had a girlfriend or had gotten out of school he had started out as a paperboy. He would go from house to house, street to street, neighborhood to neighborhood delivering papers on a bicycle. He then sought out a higher paying job as he got older. He had gotten a job and his job was at parker hannifan where his father still works to this day. He then got fired for reasons unknown he then proceeded to try to find work at numerous other jobs, whilst successfully getting hired he could never really keep one job for a long time. He had then felt miserable after being let go from so many jobs and didn't know what exactly to do. Then he went to Walmart and still works there today as Meat Department Manager. When my dad had kept going in and out of jobs he had started to struggle with his attitude. Like for example some days he would have an a, we attitude by contributing to others and being selfless. On other days he would have me, myself, and I attitude by caring only about himself and being selfish as can be.  Since he has a wife and 3 kids now that are at the age of 9, 14, and 21 though he stats, “ I find it easier to get my work done and achieve more because I do it for them.” Another thing he finds challenging is taking care of three kids since he was 25. He worries that they won’t become the men that he has been working his butt off to shape them into, so he tries very hard to discipline them correctly.

My father is an important person because of what he has gone through. He is a good example of don’t give up on your dreams no matter what. Though he had a hard time with many things, three of those things being raising kids at a young age, finding a stable job, and dealing with his own attitude from time to time. He still had not given up on his dreams of a peaceful and fulfilling, happy retirement along with keeping his morals of perseverance through tough and difficult times will make you a better and stronger person.

Parents are always important, but not always for the right reasons. Parents are supposed to be role models for their children. Most of the time they’re great role models. Other times they’re perfect examples of what to never act like. An active Bangor mother had to grow up with a parent who, sadly, was an example of how to never act. She is a great example of how growing up with an unsupportive parent, but turn it into a great thing. She is an example of how, sometimes, the best things in life come from the worst experiences.

This mother’s struggles started young. She was born in Illinois and moved to Michigan when she was five. She went to Bloomingdale for a few years before moving to Bangor until she graduated. She essentially always had family struggles. She had an unsupportive mother and never met her father. Because of the little to no support from her mother she ended up with some issues that she still struggles with today. She had low self-confidence as well as trust issues. It got to the point where she did not want to be home or with her family. In fact, she avoided going home as much as possible. Some may think growing up unsupported she would’ve turned out unhappy. She wasn’t happy when she was young. But her struggles made her a better person. They made her stronger and more independent and brave. She wouldn’t change a thing, that is except meeting her father before he had died when she was only two years old. This is the one thing she’d change because she wonders if anything would be different today or would’ve happened differently in the past.

Since this particular Bangor mother grew up with an unsupportive family she is used to doing everything herself. Her past struggles have shaped her present-day life a lot, especially with her own family. She often has trouble asking for and receiving help. Her family set an example of what not to be. She also learned how a parent should never act. As she grew older, her situation started to help her figure out what she wanted for herself. She eventually began getting the things she needed to. Especially after meeting her now-husband in highschool. He and his family showed her what love is. They showed her everything she wanted in a family.

She truly is an example of how sometimes the things we view as the worst things in life, can really help make the best happen. She had many struggles with herself because of her family. She no longer talks to most of them. She’s never really healed from her past. The memories of it are always in the back of her mind.  But it’s only when she thinks about it that she can’t stop thinking about it. About the struggles of little to no support. About the little to no love, she received as a child. Through all of it she never really knew how to act. She never really knew how to be or act happy because of all the negativity she faced at home.

But now she has a loving family of her own and a great job. So many people go through similar struggles. And most, like her, think or thought they are or were alone. But if you look closer, you’ll realize you’re not as alone as you think. So keep your head held high. Remember some want you to fail. So show them you can’t be beat.

Nobody knows when a heart is beating its last beats. Losing someone you love is hard on everyone involved. You feel very sad and upset for a while. However, over time the pain will lessen. My friend learned that losing an animal can feel like losing a family member.

While she was at a sleepover something fell and killed her pet puppy. At the time of the accident, she was 9 years old. Her dog was a girl named Falyn. When Falyn died she was 3 months old. She left for a sleepover and left Falyn home. There was a board that they left unattached to the house. The board fell on top of Falyn and killed her. The girl saw Falyns dead body and she said that the body was warm. They disposed of the body properly. She was very upset by the death of Falyn.

Her recovery took time but she did not do it alone she had help from her family. Her recovery from losing her pet took a few months to heal. She said that a lot was the same other than she no longer had a big responsibility. She no longer had to feed, take her out, and had no one to hug and cuddle with. Her family also dealt with Falyn’s death. Because Falyn was a family pet.

she is now fourteen years old and is five years older than the day Falyn died. She was a student at Lawrence schools but now is a Bangor student. She does not believe everything happens for a reason because some things that happen are not fair. She does not blame herself for Falyn dying. She did, however, say that she did wish the board was attached to the wall. If she had attached the board Falyn would have survived.

Sometimes leaving something unattended can have a big consequence. Even though everything seems okay in front of you, someone else is struggling. The falling of a board can crush a little girl's dreams. Which makes you realize to appreciate what you have when you have it.

It’s nice to grow up in a house with two loving parents, but not everyone gets the privilege. Having both parents there to support them can make kids feel more loved. It also allows them to have someone to confide in. Some struggles kids are subjected to are not fair and can end up affecting their lives negatively.

One of my friends has divorced parents and it has negatively affected her and how she feels. So much happened so fast, she couldn’t completely process what was occurring. She told me, she thinks about it all of the time. No matter how much she stays busy, she always feels sad. Since the divorce, she has major trust issues. She said, “ Since the divorce, I feel like I can’t trust anyone because they end up leaving”.

Having her parents divorced affected her home life in a negative way. Her sister recently left for college so when her mom goes to work, she is left at home taking care of brothers. In school she participates in band and jazz band because she takes care of her brothers she doesn’t really have a lot of time to herself so she can practice. Since her mom works during the day, her mom isn’t able to go to the performances. When she is at home she feels overwhelmed and lonely.

Her relationship with her mom and her dad were affected in a bad way. She has an okay relationship with her mother, even though she barely sees her because of how much she works. Her mom won custody over her kids because her dad wasn’t capable of taking care of them. When her mom won custody her dad tried to take the kids and separate them from their mother but that didn’t work. Since then, she doesn’t want to see her dad and tries to make up excuses not to see him.

To this day she is still dealing with taking care of her brothers, not feeling supported by her family in extracurricular activities, and barely seeing her parents. Hopefully, it will get easier to manage. Sometimes struggles people are subjected to can be good for them, but for her, it is a different story. Having her parents divorced affected her home life, her relationships with her parents, and how she feels about life. Many kids like her are in the same situation. Everyone has something they are dealing with. Just remember before criticizing someone realize they too have something they are struggling with.

Everyone has struggles and some are worse than others. The world can change you in many ways and can shape you into the person you are today. It can affect you in ways you never thought of. Some people have learned that the hard way and others haven’t. From my mother, I have learned not all struggles make you stronger, and some can even turn the world you thought you knew into a scary hell.

My mother has faced many obstacles from the time she fell victim to anxiety, to now. The bigger the life events that happened and the more overwhelming they were, caused her anxiety to worsen. She had dealt with a lot of trauma when she was younger from her parent's divorce and her home life. It is the main reason she has anxiety now. In addition to the trauma and overwhelming events, she is constantly overthinking and worrying. Her anxiety always keeps her thinking. She is also always wondering what people are capable of doing, and not in a good way. “It is ok to talk to someone, it’s ok to ask for help,” she stated, that is something she has learned in her course of living with anxiety. One big problem my mom deals with is seclusion.

My mom tends to exclude herself from a lot of situations. She mostly stays to herself and her immediate family. When she gets around large crowds she generally does not like to participate. She does this because her anxiety shoots through the roof. Due to the fact that she does not like large crowds, and she doesn't like to be around too many people, she does not have many friends. Another reason for this is her lack of communication. Some people don’t know what anxiety is like and they want her to go out and do things. The activities she participates in, are not as interesting as some may think, even she finds them boring and not fun. Another way this has affected her is having to deal with panic attacks.

The worst part of my mom’s anxiety is her panic attacks. My mom’s panic attacks are terrifying. They can cause her to cancel plans, not being able to function the rest of the day, and sometimes she has to sleep for a period of time. One side effect of the panic attacks is the hyperventilation. She starts to breathe rapidly. Then it turns into heavy breathing and feeling like she is short of breath. She can also get light-headed, dizzy, and she gets peripheral vision, which is when her eyes only focus on certain things and it causes her to not see very well. When having a panic attack her chest also gets tight and she gets chest pain. This causes her panic attacks to get worse. One of the reasons her panic attacks happen is from being around too many people, and from the high levels of stress. Panic attacks are horrible.

The world is not the same as it was 20 years ago, it has changed people and has affected people in many ways. Now to my mother, the world is a scary hell. Anxiety is horrible and can be terrifying. It has affected my mom, my family, and me in a negative way. It has also affected my parents’ relationship at times, and they commonly get into arguments. When they get into arguments, they will slowly escalate, because of my mom’s anxiety and my dad doesn’t know what it is like. This causes my siblings to start getting confused because they don’t know what is going on, and sometimes they get involved. This causes me to get involved and it turns into a big mess of yelling and arguing. My mom is normally calm and understanding, she doesn’t really yell unless she gets very aggravated. I try and help out as much as I can so my mom can sit down and relax. I have learned from listening to my mom’s story that living a life with anxiety is not fun. This story is important to my mom, it might not be as important to you, but it might help you voice out some of your own struggles.

I grew up with a normal childhood. I had friends and good grades and I was happy with my life. Though this wasn't always the case when I turned five. At the age of five came along something that has definitely left scars, both physically and mentally. My life was infected by OCD and Trichotillomania.

My OCD is the first disorder I dealt with. OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is where a person has repetitive thoughts or behaviors due to stress. I relate to OCD because of the thoughts I have. I usually have terrible thoughts like someone or myself dying, breaking bones or even embarrassment. Another thing I fear is a form of radiation in the air or something that involves germs and because of that, it causes me to have repetitive behaviors like scratching the right side of my nose and pulling my hair out on my head.

All of these behaviors have caused me a lot of stress. Due to the stress, my other disorder called Trichotillomania was formed. Trichotillomania is a big factor in my OCD. Though now that it has gotten more repetitive it has formed into its own issue more than just an OCD side effect. It’s now its own disorder.

About Trichotillomania, it is a hair-pulling disorder. It has other side effects like nail-biting or scab picking but in my case, it’s just hair pulling. When I say hair pulling people tend to think it's painful, but really it’s not. When I pull my head hair it feels good and for me is a way of relieving stress. The feeling of the hair coming out of my head is satisfying so it makes me want to keep pulling.

After so much pulling I got a bald spot. The bald spot makes me very uncomfortable and it just makes me stress even more. So because of this, I recently had to inform my parents about it. Just so you're aware most of my friends and family know about the disorders I'm not really afraid to tell them. Though when I told them my disorders got better.

My parents said they would help me find ways to help me stop pulling hair so it can regrow. They also said they would help me find methods to help my OCD die down some. It's now been a day since I told them. During that day I didn't pull my hair once! Also confronting my parents about my thoughts and behaviors I have not had a bad thought for over 24 hours now which is ten times better than before.

So now I realize that all I need to change is to confront my issues. Whenever I get stressed, I just need to talk about my issue. Whenever I want to pull hair I will stop and ask myself, why am I doing this? From this point on I do see great improvements in my future. For everyone who also might deal with relatable issues, I hope this might have been helpful advice!