At her worst Kylie was gambling away all her money, committing crimes and stealing from her parents to pay her drug dealers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Her eight-year long ice addiction didn’t kick in until she was 23 but the Horsley woman’s ‘’dark times’’ started in high school when she was extensively bullied for being gay.
‘’It was difficult growing up, being confused [about sexuality] and being extensively bullied in high school,’’ Kylie said.
‘’I have been clean nine years now. I’m proud of myself.’’
‘’Initially it [being gay] wasn’t accepted by my parents very well. Now they are embracing it. They are actually going to vote yes.’’
Her parents also stood by when Kylie’s life spiraled out of control, as drugs took a hold for eight long years.
‘’I first started using speed in 1999 and the following year I started using ice and I used it until 2008,’’ she said.
‘’I wasn’t a good person during my addiction. I did a lot of criminal activity such as break and enters and malicious damage of property.
‘’I avoided jail and got forum sentencing instead, which meant I had to meet the victims of my crime.
‘’These people as well as my parents and support worker worked out the type of sentence I was to serve. This involved going into rehab, which I had already started.
‘’I had made the decision to go into rehab because I was going to be homeless, drug dealers were coming to my house demanding money and I had a little boy I had to look after.’’
But being pregnant only paused her drug taking, three months after her son was born, addiction again took a hold until Kylie hit ‘‘rock bottom’’ and went into rehab.
‘’I have been clean nine years now. I’m proud of myself,’’ the now 41-year-old told the Mercury.
‘’Shameful memories’’ still crop up from time to time but Kylie is now at a place where she is proud of her life and wants to inspire other people going through addiction that they can come out the other side a better person.
‘’That’s why I’m here today. I want to inspire and educate them about what it is like to be in addiction. More importantly I want them to know that you can recover and you can enjoy new pathways in life,’’ she said.
Kylie told her courageous story at the Living Library event at Wollongong TAFE on Tuesday. Thirteen people took part in the annual event and told their own compelling stories of resilience and courage.
For Kylie, who now works in the community justice program at House With No Steps and is doing a social worker degree at university, the event was a chance to reach out to help others.
