Her First Rehab

Within 36 hours, Demi was sent away to her first rehab center, Pyramid Healthcare Teen Inpatient, at Ridgeview in Gibsonia, PA, where she stayed for 90 days.

“A little over halfway through [rehab], I started to realize that using may have been a problem. A seed was planted in me for the first time. A little seed that had told me there is more to life,” said Demi.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks, she slipped back into the grips of addiction.

Towards the start of the summer, her basketball coach approached her about being a starter for her high school team in the upcoming season.  To meet that goal, she would need to work hard over the break. She spent her summer going to the gym, attending Penn State women’s basketball camp, and playing in IUP’s summer league.

“I was managing my using to just weekends. I could not leave it completely alone. I still needed the substance to escape from myself. Using was my coping skill for dealing with my feelings. I was motivated enough at this point to not let it take basketball from me,” said Demi.

She was offered a chance to play basketball at Penn State Barron, but used the excuse that she couldn’t handle academics and sports.

Demi went to IUP, but the summer before she headed off to college, she began to use drugs more and more often.