Transformed: Homecoming Queen, Drug Addict, Spiritual Warrior (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780615732206)

Mary Jane Smith is a pseudonym for the author of TRANSFORMED: Homecoming Queen, Drug Addict, Spiritual Warrior. In this first book, she tells the unvarnished story of her upbringing, education, successful career, drug experimentation and addiction, loss, and ultimately her recovery. Mary Jane's story is not one that is easy to read - like many memoirs of addiction, it is full of events anyone would wish to forget. Mary Jane protects the identities of the family members and friends who agreed to speak about their experiences. She chose to publish under a pseudonym to also protect her own career; Mary Jane holds an executive position in a high-profile organization she wishes to shield from those who still believe that addiction only happens to bad or weak people. Mary Jane is living proof that drug addiction can happen to anyone; that it can turn an educated and successful person into a someone who lies, cheats, and steals; that a "good upbringing" is no guarantee; and that even the most hopeless-appearing addicts have the capacity to change their lives. If you think addiction only happens to other kinds of people, Mary Jane's book will shatter those notions. Addiction crosses every boundary: societal, educational, racial, financial, moral, religious. Yet in spite of years of transgressions, Mary Jane believes that anyone can recover; the first step is asking for help. She writes so that people struggling with addiction - whether themselves or that of a loved one - understand what it took for her to finally recover, how much fortitude and support are necessary, and how simple faith is integral.