‘Life is good today,’ says former drug court participant

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Stacy Neitzel

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January 23, 2008

STACY L. NEITZEL The Daily Independent Wed Jan 23, 2008, 12:28 AM EST

Glasgow — In the grip of the drugs she was abusing, Shannon Byrd said she hit rock bottom when she lost custody of her 15-month-old son, Mason.

“Looking back at it today, I wasn’t a very good mother,” said the petite 29-year-old blonde. She lost temporary custody to her parents while strung out on methamphetamine.

Faced with losing her son permanently and serving a possible prison sentence on felony drug charges, Byrd says she clung to the only life preserver available — drug court, an intense treatment-oriented program for nonviolent offenders designed to help addicts kick the habit while undergoing mandatory drug testing, substance abuse counseling and vocational training.

After participants successfully complete the one- to two-year treatment program, drug-related charges are expunged in most cases.

Byrd knew quitting drugs would mean changing her lifestyle and turning her back on old friends. She left school her sophomore year and began abusing drugs and alcohol while still in her teens. “It started out for fun and then became a way of life,” said Byrd, who took her first drink at age 14.

A boyfriend introduced her to meth. The pair smoked and snorted the crushed white powder and then waited until the drug took effect, producing a euphoric high.

She continued to abuse meth, alcohol and marijuana until learning she was pregnant. “At that point it wasn’t about me,” Byrd explained, saying she quit drugs completely during the nine months that followed.

But when she was injured a car wreck in 2005, four months after giving birth to her son, Byrd began abusing prescription pain medication. “Pills became a problem for me,” she said.

Despite having been clean for nine months, Byrd’s addiction spiraled out of control again and former habits resurfaced. It wasn’t long before she began using meth again.

At her sickest, Byrd’s normally slight, 5-foot-4-inch frame dwindled as her weight dipped dangerously below 100 pounds. She appeared frail, her face gaunt and eyes sunken.

“She looked like a typical meth head,” said Candy Reed-Browning, program supervisor for Barren-Metcalfe Drug Court. Browning oversaw Byrd’s admission into the program, but said she had doubts about whether she had the determination it would take to complete it.

“Honestly, I didn’t think she would make it. She had no job, no education and based on her age, statistically speaking, the odds were against her,” Browning said.

Byrd said initially she was “mad at the world.” Fueled by her anger, it was easier to blame others instead of accepting personal responsibility for her situation, she said. “It was everybody’s fault but my own.”

Slowly, over time, Byrd began to turn her life around while enrolled in drug court. “It gave me structure in my life. For the first time, there were consequences for my actions,” she said. Her rebellious nature in check, she said she soon realized “it was all up to me.”

Under the watchful eyes of her program administrators, Byrd flourished, even earning her GED. She said she turned her life over to a higher power, beginning and ending each day with prayer. She also learned the benefits of meditation, taught in drug court as a way to manage and cope with daily stresses.

Clean for nearly two years now, Byrd, who graduated from the program in October, said she continues to attend self-help meetings and practice meditation. She has regained custody of her son and said she is trying to be a better parent than before.

One difference she is particularly proud of is making time to read to her now 2 1/2-year-old toddler — something she says she never did before.

“She’s done an excellent job,” said Browning, who said she watched as Byrd’s self-esteem grew over the 15 months she was in drug court.

Byrd has moved out of her parents’ home and holds a job as a waitress at a local diner. For the first time, she is supporting both herself and her son on her own.

Her optimism buoyed after obtaining her GED, Byrd said she plans to meet with a college guidance counselor and look into furthering her education.

“Life is good today,” said Byrd, something she attributes in large part to drug court and second chances. “I never thought I could be this happy and be sober,” she said.

“There’s a better way of life.”

STACY L. NEITZEL writes for the Glasgow Daily Times. She can be reached at sneitzel@glasgowdailytimes.com or (270) 678-5171.

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