Former heroin addict says long-term treatment only way to combat epidemic

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — While the heroin epidemic continues to plague western Pennsylvania, especially Washington County, a former addict is speaking about how she overcame and persevered.

“Nine years ago, I found myself addicted to heroin, homeless, facing a state prison sentence, and all I wanted to do is die,” Ashley Potts said during Sen. Bob Casey’s press conference Friday.%

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In her 9 ½ years of being clean, she’s gone from homeless addict to advocate.

“I did horrible things to support my drug habit. I did really bad things to good people. Everything the drug told me to do, I did. I couldn't go through the physical withdrawals,” Potts said.

She now works at South Western Pennsylvania Human Services fulltime, helping people in recovery while getting her master’s degree as a presidential scholar.

“When I got clean on Sept. 11, 2006, I never thought someday I would be sitting with federal legislators holding a press conference to stand up for those in recovery,” Potts said.

She told legislators Friday she believes the only way to beat heroin is long-term treatment.

“I spent seven days in detox, 29 days inpatient, six months in a halfway house and outpatient after that,” Potts said.

A total of 216 days later, she said she’s now healthy and happy.

“My life was worth saving 10 years ago and so is everybody else’s,” Potts said.

Cox Media Group