AA has a strict privacy policy, so none of the members can have their names published while in the program.

recently conducted an interview with a young woman who had graduated from the 45th Judicial Circuit Family Dependency Treatment Court. I couldn't publish her name because she was (and still is) in Alcoholics Anonymous. AA has a strict privacy policy, so none of the members can have their names published while in the program. For the purpose of this article, her pseudonym is Natasha.
Talking with Natasha, I couldn't get over the fact that she was near my age (possibly even younger). Unlike most of my contemporaries, she has already faced one of the most difficult events that she will ever encounter, dealing with a dangerous addiction, and overcoming it. Natasha shared with me that before the family dependency treatment her life was very rough and very dark. She drank everyday and drove with her two children in the car.
"I drank until I passed out every evening," she said. She said that one time her neighbors spent all day trying to wake her up because her children were outside playing unsupervised and naked. They brought the kids into her apartment and shook and slapped her in an attempt to rouse her.
"I have no idea what it must have been like for my children. They just found snacks in the closet. I don't know because I wasn't any type of mother to them," said Natasha.She stated that her relationship with her boyfriend was very unhealthy. She said that they would break-up and get back together, and at one point she filed a restraining order against him, but then got back together with him. At one point, they fought with the neighbors, and the police were called. They arrested her boyfriend because of the restraining order.
"So I drove to the police station. My phone wasn't working. I decided to drive to the police station to find out when he would get out of jail, even though I had been drinking. See I thought that no one could tell that I was trashed, even though I looked horrible and probably smelled," she said. She remembered that she prayed on the way to the station, even though she stated she did not believe in God at the time. She prayed for His help because she was just so tired of the way her life was. She hated life. She made it to the police station and found out that her boyfriend would get out the next morning. As she was leaving the station, the officers ran after her. "They said, 'Ma'am did you drive here.' I said, 'yeah,' and I even had my youngest with me. They wouldn't let me drive back home, they ended up driving me back," she stated. Once home, they asked her to do a breathlizer test. She refused.
"So they were there for a while, on their cell phones and things, and they ended up taking my youngest son into custody right then. Then they told me that DFS (Division of Family Services) would get in touch with me," she said.
The next day she talked to DFS about family drug court, which she was told she would have to participate in to get her children back. Her older child was not taken into custody, but could not be with her and had to stay with his father.
She was in the program a little over a year, sharing that she did the best she could to do everything that they suggested. She attended AA meetings, NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meetings and four meetings a month for drug court. Additionally, DFS (and her drug court case worker) did in-home visits. She also attended parenting classes, which was a requirement of family drug court.Through her hard work and dedication, her children were returned to her in approximately two months, which is quite a feat in that it often takes longer to regain custody of children.
"The way I saw things was so twisted. You know, I thought these people kidnapped my kids, what's wrong with the government? I didn't trust them," she stated. She explained that even though she was suspicious of drug court, she had no other choice but to go. She described her time without her children, "as extremely devastating."
After awhile in the program, she realized that the government and individuals involved in the program were on her side and they wanted the best for her. Looking back, she stated that DFS stepped in and took care of her kids when she could not.
She admitted to her own mistakes during that time and did not try to rationalize her actions. She took responsibility, speaking honestly and directly, being much more adult and mature than many older individuals that I know.Even though she has completed family drug court, she still regularly attends AA meetings and is active in the Drug Court Alumni organization. Drug Court Alumni is composed of those who have graduated the program and those in the latter phases of it. The Drug Court Alumni group offers support and keeps the participants united in their efforts to maintain a sober lifestyle. They also like to give back to the community through various fundraisers, for example they have donated funds to the American Red Cross to benefit flood victims. "I am really grateful for them (those involved in drug court) because they showed me a new way of life and they showed me how to live clean and sober. They really helped me out a lot," said Natasha. She went on to say she could never make up for what drug court has given her back- her life