The Faces of Youth Addiction
Nathalie – Saved from the streets
About 9,000 teens in Ottawa use drugs, half on a regular basis. And when teens become addicted, they often turn to prostitution, petty theft and other crimes to support their habit.
Nathalie was one of those teens. Now, thanks to a United Way Ottawa-funded program, she isn’t a statistic anymore. The girl with a troubled past has moved on.
After Nathalie’s parents divorced when she was seven, her mother started a new relationship with someone who was emotionally abusive. At 12, she was raped by a friend of her brother. Because she had been drinking, the police and even her friends did not believe her story.
“I turned to drugs,” says Nathalie. “They were my friend — or so I thought. Trouble is, I just got deeper into dope, and I was hanging out with the worst kind of people who lured me into prostitution and supplied me with drugs.”
Yet something inside of Nathalie wouldn’t let her completely destroy herself. She reached out to a treatment centre for francophone teens who, like her, are battling addiction issues. She was able to finish high school and is entering college this fall to become a veterinary technician.
Nathalie, who loves animals, found her calling by volunteering with the SPCA. She also enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her family when she’s not working. She also tells her story — wherever she can and to a multitude of different audiences, at schools, workplaces, events and special functions.
While Nathalie continues to struggle with her addiction issues, she has a good support system for getting her through the hard times. And, she continues to inspire many in the community with her powerful story — earning her United Way’s Ambassador of the Year Award in 2009.
“I was fed up with the life I was living and the risks I was taking,” she says, and “that past life brings up so many negative feelings.”
“I wanted the help, so I got it,” she says. “If I didn’t, my life would have been ruined and I would probably be living on the streets right now.”
One of the goals of United Way Ottawa is to increase the accessibility and availability of support for youth who are dealing with drug and alcohol issues. In Nathalie’s case, the support she received made it possible for her to build a bright future.
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[youth testimonials]
