Ever since my teen years in upstate New York, I (Terri) have been determined to run my own life—even if it meant risking bodily harm.
I started running away from home when I was 14 years old. I would jump from my second-story bedroom window to run away. When my mom told me no, I did it anyway.
I was the daughter of an alcoholic father who was rarely around, and I started drinking in eighth grade. Then I moved on to marijuana, acid, and meth—which quickly became my “drug of choice.” I used drugs at first because I thought they were fun. They made me feel strong. But soon, I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning without using first. My addiction owned me.
