Education provided woman’s escape from drug addiction
TULSA — Andrea Haddox stood in front of a Picasso painting at a museum during a study abroad program in Spain and sobbed.
“I thought, ‘I shouldn’t be here. This is insane. People like me don’t get to do this,’” she said. “I have such a sense of gratitude anytime I get to go somewhere like that. People like me don’t usually make it to be able to experience those things and be in these places.”
Haddox — a top graduate of Tulsa Community College, honors student at Northeastern State University and winner of multiple scholarships — is talking about the 17 years she spent in an endless cycle of substance abuse and addiction.
Moving to Tulsa from the St. Louis area four years ago with the assistance of a women’s sobriety program gave her the break she needed. Within the next six months, she received word that six of her friends died from drug overdoses.
“Most of my friends from my past have died. People like me don’t usually make it to get to do those things — that’s what I meant,” she said.
The 39-year-old enrolled at TCC within a month of arriving in Tulsa. Ever since, she has been on an honor roll every semester, completed internships, held several leadership positions on campus, worked a side job as a waitress and traveled to Ireland, Scotland, London and Spain for study abroad programs.
“Yeah, I like to be involved,” she said. “After what I’ve been through, I have a drive that pushes me to do better. I feel like maybe I have a wider perspective of what’s going on around me.”
Haddox will be among the speakers during workshops Thursday for the nonprofit Women in Transition, which was established in 2002 by professional women with the goal to help women complete their college educations. The focus is on women who have undergone major changes in their lives, including trauma, and need support. The sessions will be held on the TCC Southeast campus, 10300 E 81st St.
“You can do this. There is enough help out there. You have to be willing to ask for it and get it,” Haddox said. “Do it. Just do it, man. Fear keeps us from so much in our lives.”
Getting to a healthy place
Haddox describes growing up as an awkward, uncomfortable teenager. That low selfesteem, she said, kept her from school success.
Her addiction started out with drinking and escalated into drugs, which then became all-consuming. She went into at least three rehabilitation programs to stop using.
The week before moving to Tulsa, Haddox overdosed and landed in the hospital. She had been sober for 19 months. But when she relapsed, she overdosed three times in seven days with the last one being the most serious.
“Death was knocking on my door and coming for me. In addiction, this doesn’t matter — living doesn’t keep you sober. You’re out there on the streets thinking you are going to die. That’s not my motivation. My motivation now is a lot of things,” Haddox said.
Upon release, Haddox decided to move far away from temptations of friends and lifestyle but close enough to get to family. With the help of a sober living program, she chose Tulsa. She had a job waiting tables within two days. Within weeks, she was thinking about college.
“For me I had to get out and away from all those people and all those places. It was too easy to run back. For me, that was key to my recovery,” she said. “Tulsa has been amazing, and I have such a community of people around me and great friends. So many great opportunities.”
Addicted to getting A’s
It had been 17 years since Haddox dropped out of junior college. Navigating the application process, applying for financial aid, declaring a major and figuring out class schedules was overwhelming, especially with most of it being online.
Haddox walked out of a TCC building in tears, called her mom and said she couldn’t do it. Then a new friend in Tulsa gave her some advice: “If it feels this difficult, the outcome is going to be amazing.”
“She was completely right,” Haddox said “It has been amazing.”
Haddox found mentors and received a scholarship from Women in Transition, which supports women of all backgrounds. She started with just two classes, a writing course and psychology.
“Taking my first test and getting a good grade — my first A — that was so addictive,” she said. “After first semester, I knew I could do it.”
Haddox dove into student life: joining groups to become an elected officer, going on study abroad trips and working on campus to help fellow students in enrollment. She racked up at least 10 scholarships from different sources.
“I tried to do everything I could because I didn’t think I could do those things before. It was amazing to me that I could, that I had it in me,” Haddox said. “There are teachers who are going to help you. I met so many good teachers along the way.”
Haddox will be graduating from NSU in May with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is deciding whether to go directly into a master’s program or get a year of experience before completing a graduate degree.
“Because of what I’ve been through, I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk and ask for help,” Haddox said.
In addition to her background influencing her career choice, Haddox said Tulsa itself played a role.
“There is so much philanthropy here,” she said. “I started looking at Tulsa a couple of years ago when thinking about social work. Our government doesn’t want to help in that area, but the people here in Tulsa do. I love that about Tulsa. The people are so giving. I feel lucky to be here.”