A woman whose addiction stripped her of everything told her story of recovery at an event held today.

Nicole Fox said: “Drugs had taken everything from me. For the longest while, I thought this was my destiny.”

She was speaking after the launch of Recovery Month, designed to promote ways out of addiction.

The 50-year-old, from Pembroke, said she began using marijuana and drinking alcohol in her early teens.

She began using cocaine a few years later.

Ms Fox said her drug use quickly spiralled out of control.

She described: “At the age of 21, looking back, I was a full-blown addict. I was getting high every day.”

Ms Fox said that her addiction left her unable to work or to take care of her first son, who was born when she was 19.

She continued on the path for many years until she was introduced to Narcotics Anonymous, at age 38, and “decided to give myself a chance”.

Ms Fox explained: “I was sick and tired, I was hurting — it was such a dark world.

“I didn’t want to be 50 out there buying a piece of rock.”

She said that a big part of her decision to get sober was because she saw her children engaged in the same type of behaviour she had done.

Ms Fox added: “I needed my boys to have a chance in life.”

Now clean and sober for nearly 11 years, Ms Fox described life today as amazing.

She added: “I just need everyone to know that life does show up.”

But she emphasised that her path to sobriety was a difficult one.

She explained: “In recovery, I buried my dad. Three years later, my only brother.

“A year-and-a-half after that my mom.”

Ms Fox’s son was murdered a year-and-a-half later.

She added: “I would rather live without my family members and be clean, then be dirty and to have them with me.

“You can get through this. I’m not the first person who has buried a child. I’m not the only person who has lost their parents.

“It’s doable. It’s a peace beyond all understanding. And I give all that honour and glory to God.”

Joanne Dean, Director of the Department for National Drug Control, said success stories like Ms Fox’s were important to help relieve some of the stigma surrounding recovery.

Ms Dean said: “She’s brave enough to go out there and say, ‘Hey, I beat this.’

“I think it’s very important we have voices out there saying ‘Yes, you can do this’.”

She said that addiction in Bermuda was “prevalent across the board”.

Ms Dean explained: “It doesn’t matter what race you are, what socioeconomic level you’re at — addiction can hit anybody.”

She said that the first step in the recovery process was for a person to accept they need help.

Ms Dean added: “We actually do have the resources in place to address this issue.

“The road may be tough, and usually is, however you can do it. Anyone can beat this.”

Michael Weeks, the Minster of Social Development and Sport, said the month-long event was to celebrate people in recovery and their families.

Mr Weeks said that this year’s event would focus on community education about drug abuse “through the eyes of individuals in recovery”, as well as highlight treatment services for those in need.

He added that activities planned for the month would support the message that “prevention works, treatment is effective and people can, and do, recover”.

A Bermuda cedar tree was planted at the Arboretum today “to commemorate the lives of those who have struggled with drug abuse, and to celebrate those who have found their recovery voice”.

Mr Weeks said: “It is my hope that this tree will thrive and survive through many storms, reminding everyone that despite difficult times they too can weather any storm and stand proud in their recovery.”

Ms Fox said her message to those struggling with addition was simple — give yourself a chance.

She added: “Become the miracle. Because you are a miracle.”