TOLEDO, Ohio — WTOL 11 has reported a lot over the years about the opioid epidemic. We've broadcasted record-setting overdose deaths, plus informed the public of treatment options and efforts by law enforcement to intervene in a number of ways.
RELATED: Toledo police investigating more than two dozen overdose deaths, the majority caused by fentanyl
Now, WTOL 11 is working to beat the stigma associated with addiction, by sharing personal stories from people in our community.
Ryan Lundquist always starts his day the same way. First, he makes his bed. It's something he learned in treatment that sets him up for accomplishment.
Then, he recites a reading to begin his day in the right frame of mind.
Ryan will tell you, he had a pretty normal childhood. Nothing traumatic would trigger some of the decisions that led to addiction.
"Married parents. Two brothers. I pretty much had everything I needed," Ryan said.
He says he starting drinking alcohol in middle school to be cool and fit in. In high school he moved to smoking pot.
"I kept moving from drug to drug until I found opiates and that's the one that snatched me and grabbed ahold of me," Ryan said.
First Ryan used pills and then eventually heroin, which would control his life for nearly six years.
"I couldn't really live without it or function. I'd have to do it just to go to work or just to do normal, everyday functions," Ryan said.
Ryan says he was depressed. He felt like he wasn't good enough.
His family noticed the changes with him and tried to get him help, but Ryan says he wasn't ready.
Then he hit rock bottom.
"I lost pretty much everything. My family wouldn't talk to me. I lost numerous jobs. I lost my job at the time. Was about to start living in my car," Ryan said.
But luckily, some friends took him in as long as he agreed to get help.
So he did. He joined a support group, which he's still involved with today. He works through a 12-step program and surrounds himself with good people.
Ryan now works as a mechanic, which led to a love for cars.
He's been sober five years.
"I've gotten back pretty much everything that I had before plus a lot more. Life is so different now. I can live on a day-to-day basis and actually be happy and be happy with myself," Ryan said.
Ryan even got married last year and is a proud dog dad.
He says he's not ashamed of his past, it's made him who he is.
He just wants people to know that addiction doesn't discriminate, it can grab anyone.
But he's proof you can also get clean, if you want to. He says you have to want it for yourself.
"I tried to do it numerous times for other people and I could never do it until I actually did it for myself," Ryan said.
Ryan says help is available. He says it starts with talking about it, so find a support group to lean on.
You can speak with someone right now through the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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