My Life Story: Overcoming Hell

At 9 years old, everything changed. Before then, I was happy. When my father left the military, we moved to government housing, where many kids were violent and lacked empathy. By 10, I had "Post Traumatic Stress" from being severely beaten so many times.

-

This, of course, broke everything inside of me. My innocence washed down into the pit of despair. School time became pure survival. At 13 years old, I started suffering suicidal thoughts. Those years in elementary and high school felt like two decades.

-

The Military and Masking the Pain

I joined the military at 17 years old to make my father proud and toughen up so I could fight back against my bullies. I started lifting weights, becoming stronger, and gaining the acceptance of others. But it was all a façade, just a mask so the outside world wouldn’t see how broken I was inside.

-

After graduating from Grade 12, things got worse. I left the army at 19 and became a drug addict. Within two years, I started working with dangerous people in drug trafficking. I went to Mohawk College to try to turn my life around, but instead, I found a bigger network of students to sell drugs to.

-

Descent into Crime and Chaos

-

I became obsessed with becoming a gangster, selling cocaine, meth, and oxycontin for three criminal organizations. On the outside, I appeared as a callous criminal, but inside I was weak, vulnerable, and ready to collapse.

-

Paranoia consumed me. I never slept. I’d wake up at 2 AM, fleeing to hotels, convinced the cops or rival dealers were coming for me. My mind began shutting down from depression as I became entangled in debts to multiple gangs.

-

Desperate to pay off what I owed, I turned to robbery. One incident left me traumatized after being attacked by three vehicles for nearly three hours. By age 25, I fled the province and was homeless on the streets of Edmonton and Calgary. To survive, I did things that I’m not proud of, leading me to attempt to take my own life.

Turning the Tide

At 27, I got off the streets and started working in construction. I was proud to have a home, but my trauma lingered. I kept getting into trouble until the court system mandated trauma therapy, which ultimately saved my life. Through therapy, I learned I wasn’t worthless. At times, I felt like a demon consumed by anger and shame, leaving a trail of pain in my wake. But inside, a part of me kept fighting for the light.

-

I was like a rabid dog that didn't know how to be human. When I drank it was always blacked out, and when I got angry it was truly terrifying for anyone that was around. At times I felt like a demon, There was a part inside of me that would fight against the darkness. But it felt like a total demonic possession at times. I burned my life down to the ground, and left a debris field of pain behind me, everywhere I went.

-

After another mental breakdown, I woke up and prioritized my mental health and dedicated myself to healing. Eight years later, the work has significantly paid off. I no longer struggle with addiction, my relationships are healthy, and I have a loving, supportive wife. I live a purposeful life of supporting others struggling with Mental Health.

-

Finding Peace and Purpose

-

Sometimes, I pinch myself. I watch my wife sing and dance almost daily with immense gratitude. The bills are paid. My life is no longer unpredictable. I’ve found peace within my past by showing compassion to my younger self. I realized I wouldn’t have walked such a dark path if it hadn’t been for the pain I endured as a child.

-

Despite the hell I went through, I am happy. I took accountability for my mistakes and chose to heal rather than hurt others. I found grace in serving my community and becoming a beacon of light for others suffering from trauma.

-

The toxic shame that once gripped me has loosened. At first, love and stability felt fake, but over time, I learned to trust and accept good people into my life again.

-

A Message to Those Struggling

-

No matter what your story is, you can overcome it. Real change begins when we stop blaming the world and start showing up for ourselves.

-

If you’re struggling, don’t give up. It gets better when you make it better.

-

Sincerely,

Corey Preston

-

Follow for more stories of resilience, strategies to self heal and inspiration to keep moving forward. If you're seeking 1 on 1 support for your healing journey. Feel free to private message me.