Overcoming Low Self-Esteem, Addiction, and Trauma: A Survivor’s Story

There is a strong connection between experiences of abuse and struggles with addiction. While statistics on this topic are widely available, most people aren’t searching for numbers.

People want hope more than facts. They want to know that healing is possible, and that a life not defined by constant struggle can exist. Am I right?

I believe stories are powerful messengers of hope. They help bridge the gap between isolation and connection. With that in mind, I set out to interview a woman whose story I had recently heard at a writing group.

The topic that evening was shame, and Amy bravely shared her experiences with low self-esteem, substance use, and surviving sexual assault. She generously gave me permission to share her story, hoping it might offer comfort and insight to others navigating their own healing.

A Familiar Beginning

Amy’s story begins where many stories of addiction begin: in a home with little guidance or support.

She described having to raise herself, which left her feeling uncertain and overwhelmed much of the time. She discovered alcohol at a young age and was drawn to how it made her feel. “It took me out of my body and my pain,” she shared. “I loved that I didn’t have to wake up and be with myself if I didn’t want to. And as a young actress, being around a lot of people, it helped me relax into my environment.”

As her use of alcohol and drugs continued, Amy found herself at parties where substances were readily available. Some of these environments felt unsafe. At one of them, Amy was the victim of a violent crime that would profoundly alter her life.

Amy recalled standing in a room when she was suddenly hit. Immediately afterward, several men emerged from a closet. She lost consciousness, and when she came to, she realized she had been sexually assaulted.

“I couldn’t tell anyone,” she said. “One of them was a Navy SEAL who threatened me. I was scared. If I didn’t know who I was before, I certainly didn’t know who I was after.”

Who’s That Stranger in the Mirror?

After the assault, Amy’s life became a series of painful experiences involving substances and unhealthy relationships. “I defined myself through the men I dated,” she told me. “I never really found myself. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking, I don’t know who you are.”

At that point in her life, she felt deeply disconnected—from herself and from the world around her.

Amy attempted sobriety and spent time in Alcoholics Anonymous, but she cycled in and out of the program for years before she was ready to fully commit. “I just wasn’t ready yet,” she said.

What eventually shifted was her realization that she couldn’t moderate her drinking. “Even when I said I wasn’t going to drink, it would happen anyway.”

One night stands out vividly. She went to a party intending not to drink, but ended up having several glasses of wine. Distraught and overwhelmed, she drove home. When approaching a red light, she closed her eyes and drove through it.

“I didn’t care what happened to me,” Amy admitted.

After that incident, Amy reached out to someone in the program and committed herself to working the 12 Steps. She shared that, deep down, she did care about her life, she just couldn’t access that part of herself yet.

Amy is a woman of remarkable determination. Today, she has just over seven years of sobriety.

Outside the Rooms

While stopping substance use is one of the most challenging and rewarding steps a person can take, recovery goes far beyond that.

When I asked Amy about her healing outside of AA, she was candid. “It’s been a tough road,” she said. “I’ve had to learn how to live an emotionally sober life. I had to learn how to live with what I drank over. Alcohol wasn’t my problem, it was my solution. I needed new solutions.”

Amy shared that working with the Recovery 2.0 community has been incredibly supportive for her. She went on to become a certified yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and a Y12SR instructor. Y12SR stands for Yoga of the 12 Steps of Recovery, a practice that integrates movement, mindfulness, and recovery principles.

Paying It Forward

Amy has long known she wanted to help other women. Through her own healing journey and professional training, she now does exactly that.

“I help women release what’s stored in their bodies—in their tissues,” she explained. “Through yoga, we give the past a way to move through the body. That’s where deeper healing happens. I help women find their calm in the storm.”

She also believes that sharing her own story strengthens her work. Being understood is a fundamental human need, and no one wants to feel judged for their struggles. Amy’s openness allows her clients to feel safer, seen, and supported.

As someone listening to Amy’s story, I can only imagine how powerful it is for the women who work with her to see someone who truly understands, and who has come through the other side.

Hope is one of the most powerful forces in recovery. Those who have walked the path before us and emerged with healing show us what’s possible.

I’m deeply grateful to Amy for her honesty and courage. It takes strength to pursue recovery, and bravery to be fully seen. We all need to be witnessed and loved without conditions. Recovery may begin with steps taken outside ourselves, but healing always starts within.

Find Support for Healing and Recovery

If you or someone you love is seeking healing from addiction, trauma, or both, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Recovery.com makes it easier to find treatment centers that offer compassionate, trauma-informed care. Browse our comprehensive list of addiction and mental health facilities for addiction, trauma, and more. Healing is possible; find mental health help for yourself or a loved one today.