00:00 Sometimes, in order to rebuild yourself, you must let go of your old self.
00:04 After all, letting go of whatever that is holding you back may be key to your growth
00:08 and recovery.
00:10 I was a curious, mischievous and jittery child.
00:14 For some reason, I was the odd one out, and did not fit in.
00:19 But that made me fearless, and I was never afraid to veer off the beaten track.
00:24 I've always had this burning passion for music, acting and graffiti.
00:29 Art has always been my compass, and guided me when I was growing up.
00:34 I saw art as a guiding compass for me.
00:37 It provided me with direction to work towards my goals.
00:42 During my teenage years, I met people whom I was always told to stay away from.
00:47 But curiosity got the better of me.
00:50 I wanted to see that side of life that I've never experienced.
00:54 It opened doors to vices I never knew.
00:57 I met people who shared the same passions as me.
01:00 I felt that I finally found my space, where I had like-minded individuals around me who
01:06 could help me achieve my dreams.
01:10 In the name of art was a lie I held on to, telling myself that it would give me inspiration
01:16 for creativity.
01:18 As a musician, I wanted to write insightful music, even at the cost of lowering my own
01:24 inhibitions.
01:25 Indulging in smoking and drinking was just the tip of the iceberg.
01:33 These cravings took over me, and before I knew it, I was hooked.
01:40 Without them, my mind and body could not function, and I was falling into a downward spiral.
01:47 My life was in a mess, and my depression held me by my neck.
01:53 Depressions no longer fueled me.
01:55 I was losing money, friends, sleep, and eventually, my will to live.
02:01 I felt that life had nothing to offer, and I was no longer worried about my future.
02:07 I was jobless, void of passion, and I found myself lost in the grip of addiction, and
02:14 my whole world came crashing down around me.
02:17 My parents were getting older, and my friends got arrested one by one.
02:22 I thought of escaping this vicious cycle.
02:25 It only truly hit me when a close friend of mine died from an overdose.
02:32 I thought that person could have been me.
02:36 It felt like an electric jolt to my body, but it was the wake-up call I desperately
02:41 needed.
02:43 It was a harrowing escape for me.
02:49 I was tired of being enslaved to my addictions.
02:52 I knew I had to turn my life around.
02:55 I took the first step and started therapy, while also reconnecting with my faith and
03:00 taking accountability for my actions.
03:03 There is so much more I want to achieve in life.
03:06 I kicked my bad habits and replaced them with healthy ones like fitness activities and meditation.
03:13 I slowly started to gain confidence.
03:16 But it wasn't a linear journey.
03:19 Every now and then, I find myself slipping back into the same old habits.
03:25 But with the support of my family and real friends who understood and heard me, I had
03:30 the strength to be committed to my healing process.
03:33 Eventually, I managed to break free of my addictions and never look back.
03:39 You could say that I turned over a new leaf.
03:41 I'm now taking my degree in psychology and giving back to the people who helped me by
03:46 helping others.
03:48 I'm also a member of Circles of Resilience, a peer support group where I share with them
03:53 my experience.
03:55 Living with depression and addiction can be incredibly hard, but it is possible to take
03:59 back control of your life again.
04:02 Letting go of your old self is key to growth and recovery.
04:06 Now I value honesty and no matter what the situation is, I try to be honest with myself
04:12 and others around me.
04:15 I no longer hide my burdens and fears, and my relationships have since grown stronger.
04:19 [Music]
04:34 [Music]
04:37 [Music]
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