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