Chassity looks back on her life, now as a dental assistant at Spectrum Family Dentistry, and can’t help but marvel at how far she’s come. “I never imagined I’d be here, but I’m here.”
Growing up in Comfort, North Carolina, in a family of 9, Chassity faced hidden struggles. After her mother passed away when she was 8, she found herself turning to alcohol at 14. By 16, after having her wisdom teeth removed, she was introduced to opiates.
“I remember thinking, ‘This is the best feeling I’ve ever had. No hangover. Just… bliss.’”
Chassity’s addiction worsened, and despite getting pregnant with her two sons, she continued using. “I wasn’t just hurting myself. I was hurting my kids,” she admits.
After CPS took her children, her life spiraled further. She was using 5 substances at the time and knew she was ready for a change when her sister suggested Healing Transitions, the place her friend Christine, a silver chipper, had gone. Her sister called Christine, and she agreed to meet with Chassity.
Walking into detox, Chassity felt something she hadn’t felt in years—relief.
“That was the first time I felt relief because I was exposed. I was in a safe place, and for the first time, I didn’t have to pretend. I didn’t feel alone.”
At first, Chassity didn’t think she belonged there, but over time, the classes, support, and understanding she gained began to resonate.
“I started to realize I had a problem, and I began to understand the disease and how it shaped me,” she says.
Though the road was challenging, she knew her purpose. “I went through the program to become a better mother.”
She recalls a staff member at the time, Courtney, who was there for Chassity when she needed it most, playing a key part in her reunification with her children.
Before leaving Healing Transitions, Chassity was determined to handle her legal issues. After 10 years without a license, she’s set to get hers back in September. “I haven’t had a license in 10 years, and now, I’m getting it back,” she says proudly.
She spent 16 months at Healing Transitions and shares, “No matter how many times it takes, it’s always going to be home.”
Today, Chassity is sober, helping others as a dental assistant, and planning to continue her education. “I’ve been through more sober than I ever thought I could handle. And now, I handle it with grace,” she says. She no longer looks back with regret but sees the strength she didn’t know she had. “I made it,” she smiles.
Chassity’s story is a powerful reminder that even the darkest times can lead to new beginnings, and recovery, though challenging, is always possible.