“My name is Tali Perron, I am 34 years old and I have two children and this is my story.
I come from a family of people who struggle with addiction, whether it be drugs, alcohol or food, every member of my family struggles with something. Mental illness is also very prevalent in my family. I began using drugs and alcohol at the age of 11. My father would get me intoxicated then sexually abuse me. Throughout the years, I used various drugs recreationally and never realized that I had a problem with drugs. My addiction issues caused me to lose custody of my kids, lose everything I owned, and eventually led to incarceration. It took a huge toll on my physical and mental health, and caused me to give a newborn up for adoption. At my lowest point, I lost everything. I lost my children, I lost God, I lost the will to live.
My rock-bottom was when I was sitting behind a dumpster homeless, covered in wounds, so confused and out of my mind with not a single belonging. I remember thinking I either have to die or figure out a way to live. I decided I was going to fight. I called a friend and was picked up and brought to her house. I began making phone calls and asking questions and doing research on addiction, all while detoxing. I made an appointment with a doctor specializing in substance use disorder. And from that moment my life has never been the same. I was given Suboxone, and individual and group therapy once a week.
Slowly but surely I started to rebuild my life. I eventually got custody of my kids back and we moved into our own house. I have been able to build a better life than I could’ve ever dreamed of. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) saved my life. I feel like a warrior. With or without the help of medically assisted treatment, anyone that can beat this monster is a fighter. The combination of Suboxone and therapy was life changing for me. It was the combination and option that was right for me. It has the potential to save so many more lives. I have now been sober close to two years and I wake up each morning thanking God that I am here to tell my story. They say that hope is the foundation of recovery and MAT was a big part of that for me. It allowed me to see the possibility of a life without drugs. I have a sister that is also in recovery, working, and raising her children, in part due to the help of medically assisted treatment as well.
I decided that I wanted to work with people with addiction struggles and show them that it is possible to win in this fight. I now work as a Peer Support Specialist for NRVCS and work to spread hope to the still suffering addict and their families. I wake up every day so excited to be alive. I have beat the odds. I enjoy everyday things that other people take for granted, like being able to put my kids on the bus every morning. I hope that my story will help change the sometimes negative thoughts and stigma surrounding the use of Suboxone and substance use disorder in general.”
Tali S. Perron
Mother & Peer Recovery Specialist Trainee