After a Montreal mother managed to free herself from alcohol and cocaine, she now wants to light a small fire among those suffering to prevent them from committing the irretrievable.
While she considered herself a monster, Jessica Lachapelle walked into Maison Jean Lapointe on January 5, 2015. She was unwell and the team perhaps saved her life by offering comfort and listening. Nine years later, she is a little surprised and moved to see the interest shown to her.
“It touches me that people are interested in this kind of difficulty. I am proud of myself and what I have achieved. If it can inspire others, it is a gift to me. “I’m always open to talking about it,” explains Jessica Lachapelle, 39 years old.
For the latter, the expression “hitting rock bottom” is not a cliché, but the bottom of the barrel varies from person to person.
alcohol and drugs
“When I drank, I couldn’t stop. And cocaine had entered my life a year and a half before I joined Maison Jean Lapointe. My parents realized it wasn't working. I had started to isolate myself,” she says.
Photo agency QMI, JOEL LEMAY
Lying, stealing and a drunken accident shook her, but not enough. An inglorious moment when her brother, 10 years her junior, intervened with her, was probably the trigger in her mind. “I had completely lost the card. I could have turned my back on everyone and moved on, but it was a turning point,” she says with relief.
However, in order to receive the necessary help, people had to wait several months in the community area. The Dependency Rehabilitation Center (CRD) even asked her to wait nine months, even though she simply wanted others to take care of her. She also remembers that she was not offered unrealistic promises or dreams.
Far from frustration
“At Maison Jean Lapointe I was welcomed with a wide range of help. It allowed me to stay away from substance and frustration. Today I really like the person I am and I can say that I am really happy,” says the Montrealer.
Jessica Lachapelle now works at Maison Jean Lapointe, the very place where she was able to confront her consumption and her fears. “It's really special. I feel at home and hope to help those who come to us. I will be there for others.”
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