Hi there, I'm a 20-year-old woman who has been struggling with addiction since I was 17. It all began with drinking, but in December 2023, I started using crack, and my addiction quickly spiraled out of control. I lost everything and everyone important to me.

Eventually, I became homeless. One day, when I couldn't find crack, I was introduced to fentanyl. Since June, I've been using crack, alcohol, and fentanyl. I've tried to quit multiple times but haven't been successful. Despite this, I am determined to become sober, and I'm grateful that my ex-boyfriend has taken me in and is supporting me in reaching this goal.

I'm not very familiar with the concept of "harm reduction," but I want to quit fentanyl immediately. I've already overdosed four to six times and have died twice. My goal is to be fully sober by September 14th, but I want to use crack during my recovery from fentanyl to help manage the cravings and withdrawals.

I'm also scared to start methadone because I don't want to replace one addiction with another, especially since I've heard that methadone can be difficult to quit. But more than anything, I want to break free from this cycle and get sober.

Does anybody have any recommendations?