My work involves trying to better understand something to which most turn their cheeks—a terrible worldwide epidemic that is affecting so many lives. Addiction is something I have been familiar with my entire life, something that has engulfed many people that I love. On March 21, 2014 my cousin Krystal lost her long battle with addiction at the age of 22. Since then, I have had trouble seeing how anything good can come from losing someone so special to me. The feelings of loss, anger, emptiness, and confusion have consumed my thoughts. As I try and fill the void of losing someone who means so much to me, I am reaching out to individuals who battle similar demons and people who have been directly affected or have experienced firsthand what addiction is capable of doing to people psychically and emotionally. These people understand what it is like to lose sight of hope or to watch helplessly as their loved one is completely consumed by something that never lets them go.