From his mid teens to his mid 20s, my son EJ's life was a nightmarish roller coaster ride.

Whenever the phone would ring in the middle of the night during those "dark days" Mindy and I knew it was going to be bad news, and it usually meant that EJ was in crisis again. Between the effects of his Borderline Personality Disorder, opiate and heroin addiction, and two suicide attempts, we really thought EJ wasn't going to live to see 30.

Unfortunately, I know there are so many other parents out there who are going through similar experiences. Thank God EJ chose to turn his life around. He will tell you it's not easy and that no one can do it for you. He came to the conclusion that he had a unique gift to offer, which was the universal gift of music. He utilizes that gift to spread words of inspiration and love. The following is a FB quote from 2009:

And so goes the never ending battle just to f-----g exist

This is one of his FB quotes eight years later:

For most of my adult life I was either miserable, on drugs, or both. Recreational drug use became an addiction, sadness became utter misery. This is how I "lived" for 16 years until I decided that I wanted better for myself. I wasted my teenage years and I wasted my 20's and everything that's happened to me was because of me. Every bad decision I've ever made, every bridge I've ever burned was all meant to prepare me on how to strengthen my soul and toughen my heart. I am almost seven years clean and trying to do everything I can to help those who feel hopeless as I once did. My mental illness stills plays a part in my life and I still have bad days. I will always be an addict and I will always have to work twice as hard to keep my demons in check but it only takes that FIRST step to start the climb back. Love yourself enough to live the life you want and to feel the happiness you deserve. Take care of your body. Take care of your spirit.

If you need help and don't know where to turn, feel free to contact EJ(Ethan James) by sending him a private message on his Facebook page. He can help you take that first step and inspire you to succeed. If you're a parent of an adult child looking for support, feel free to contact my wife, Mindy, who runs the Danbury Family Connections program.

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