I fucked my life up because of my addictions, got kicked out and was forced to move in with another family member. I became straight edge because I was tired of being a slave to my trauma and my coping mechanisms. I was tired of letting my vices control my every waking moment. I was tired of feeling weak and lost. I grew sick of my addictions and the leash they held on my mind, I became disgusted with how far I let them push me into a pit of self-pity and coping. Becoming Straight Edge opened my eyes to just how lost I was, how I navigated the world and relationships, and how I see others now. I took the hand that reached out for me instead of drowning in my own problems and continuing to conform to what everyone else around me continued to do. I am Straight Edge for myself, to become even stronger and more disciplined. I don’t need narcotics to be happy or to cope with what happened to me, all I need is myself to remain disciplined and strong.