I grew up near the Jersey Shore in a Christian home, attending Sunday school, church service, and youth group, which continued through my adult life.
Although my family life was good, I always had this anxiety and feeling of not belonging and being the target of bullying at school.
As the years went on, my anxiety seemed to increase, especially in social situations, and I did not have a way to cope with it.
I married, moved to Pennsylvania, and had a daughter, Madison. Everybody would think it looked like I had everything from the outside. Yet inside, I still had this anxiety that I wasn't living the life that I was meant for. I felt I did not belong and was not worthy. So, I turned to alcohol in my mid-30s through my early 40s to quiet my nerves, and the occasional drink turned into more and more drinks until it became an addiction.