Nathaniel Harris was addicted to methamphetamine when he dropped out of ASU in 2013.
Since then, he has transitioned from being a drug addict to coordinating ASU’s Recovery Rising program, which is dedicated to supporting students through the addiction recovery process.
When first trying meth, Harris said he was trying to figure out who he was, and he was open to trying new things.
“I was just in a euphoric state of being and I played Skyrim for 18 hours straight,” he said of his first experience with methamphetamine.
Harris said his addiction eventually got to the point where he would stay up for days at a time.
His record was 13 days.
“Eventually my body just couldn’t do it anymore, and I collapsed and fell asleep and slept for 24 hours straight,” he said.
Things changed for Harris after he entered a sober living home in Gilbert. He said he didn’t even think he had a drug problem until he was six months sober. Harris said accountability is the bedrock of his sobriety, but the road to recovery is different for everybody.
“Sometimes, they just need meeting and social connectivity. Sometimes, they’ll grow out of it,” he said.
Recovery Rising "aims to connect students through events, open roundtable discussions and campus AA meetings," according to the program's website.
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