For Margaret, addiction was part of life long before she could even spell the word. “I’ve been on my own since I was 12,” she says. “My mom was addicted to drugs. My dad was an alcoholic. So to me, it felt normal.”
That early exposure led Margaret into substance use at a young age. By 11, she was using marijuana and alcohol. Later, it was pain pills and Xanax. And by the time she was 19—after a lupus diagnosis and a sudden end to her prescription—Margaret turned to heroin, and eventually fentanyl.
“I didn’t even use to get high,” she says. “It was just to get relief from the pain. But over time, I had to use more and more just to feel okay.”
Breaking the Cycle for Her Son
Watch: Addiction, Lupus, and the Power of Treatment: Margaret’s Real-Life Recovery
Now 11, Margaret’s son is the same age she was when her addiction began. That realization became a turning point.
“I’ve never used around my son. I’ve never let him see it. But he’s getting older—and more aware,” she explains. “I couldn’t let that cycle repeat. I wanted a better life for him. And for me.”
So when she heard about a new addiction treatment center opening nearby, she made a decision that would change everything.
Finding Recovery—and Family—at BrightView
Margaret entered treatment at BrightView’s North Carolina location, where she found not only medical support, but something she had never had before: a support system.
“Everyone there knows me by name. They care. They don’t judge me,” she says. “Just because I used drugs doesn’t make me a bad human being. They treat me like a person—not a problem.”
Margaret credits the program’s structure and compassionate staff for helping her rebuild her life. “Having a daily routine makes a huge difference,” she says. “When you have purpose and structure, it’s easier to step away from that lifestyle.”
BrightView’s comprehensive approach includes medication assisted treatment (MAT), counseling, peer support, and help with everyday life challenges. “Even little things—like how to manage stress or stick to a schedule—make a big impact,” she adds.
A New Future in Sight
Margaret still takes recovery one day at a time. But for the first time in her life, she sees a future full of possibility.
“I want to put all this behind me and build the best life I can for me and my son. And I know I will,” she says. “It takes time. But I’m excited. For once, I feel like I’m not alone.”
She tears up slightly before smiling. “This place—BrightView—it’s saving my life. It already has.”