It is hard to see how you are when you are under the influence. Even if people tell you that you are not acting like yourself or do not like who you have become, you do not believe them. One woman saw a picture of herself overdosed that went viral which encouraged her to want to be sober.
The Beginning of Erika Hurt’s Addiction
Erika Hurt first tried drugs when she was 15 after being treated for a staph infection and being prescribed painkillers. After her prescription would run out, she would buy painkillers from a friend. The painkillers helped keep her calm and forget about her pain, leading her to be hooked for the next four years. Hurt would steal television sets and electronics from Walmart to support her drug habit. Hurt had been in and out of jail for theft and drug possession and became clean for two years. Unfortunately, she relapsed two months after her first child, Parker, was born.
Erika Hurt’s Viral Photo
The photo happened three years ago by a dollar store parking lot. Hurt shot up heroin before visiting her mom with her son in the backseat. She was found by the police slumped up in her car with a needle in her hand while her son was crying in the backseat. The picture was captured by the body camera of an officer from the Hope Police Department and released to the public. It went viral soon after. Medics gave Hurt two doses of Narcan to reverse her overdose and revive her. Hurt felt shamed and humiliated after the photo was posted.
After Erika Hurt’s Overdose
After overdosing, Hurt spent two more months in the Bartholomew County Jail and six months in a court-order rehab program. Hurt knew that she needed to be serious about sobriety when her son would be allowed to visit her twice a week and have trouble recognizing his own mother. When Hurt was released in rehab in June 2017, Hurt moved back with her mother for a fresh start. She continued to attend self-help meetings taught by 12-step Celebrate Recovery program and leads three meetings weekly. Hurt has dreams of becoming a licensed recovery coach. A new photo of hers has gone viral on “The Addict’s Diary” Facebook group of her sober on October 22, 2016. Hurt hopes to share her journey with her son by showing both photos.
Located in Georgetown, Texas, Alta Loma is a transformative living center to help those struggling in early recovery to transition out of our Psychiatric and Substance Abuse inpatient center. Alta Loma believes that addiction is born from an untreated mental illness in which our facility is willing to help you. Our facility offers residency, medication management education, individualized treatment, life skills education, 12-step support, and more tools to bring patients the confidence to be able to live an independent life. For more information, please call us at 866-457-3843.
