I Tried Heroin at 16… and Everything Went Downhill From There
I Tried Heroin at 16… and Everything Went Downhill From There  
Podcast: Rise Above with Kevin Lanning
Published On: Wed Mar 04 2026
Description: Kira looked like the “good kid.” 3.8 GPA. Band. Job. Involved in everything. Behind the scenes, she was self-harming at 12, drinking at 12, snorting ketamine in the school bathroom, selling alcohol through her locker, and attempting suicide multiple times. At 18, she shaved her head, stopped showering, lived with strangers, and drove 12 hours to Georgia to move in with a man she met online… before barely escaping. Her true rock bottom? A little kid knocking on a drug dealer’s bedroom door asking for his dad. That moment changed everything. Today, Kira is 6+ years clean and sober, graduated from Michigan State, worked in Child Protective Services, and is now pursuing her Master’s in Social Work. This episode is about addiction that doesn’t look “broken,” mental health, grooming, suicide attempts, recovery at 18, and how contentment—not happiness—is the real goal. If you’re struggling, there is hope. Stay. #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #SobrietyJourney #SuicidePrevention #YoungPeopleInRecovery #KetamineAbuse #RecoveryStory #AARecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices