A Long Road to Recovery: Morgan’s Story

Morgan O’Neil, 29, has battled substance use since her teenage years.

“I started drinking at 15,” she said. “I was throwing parties every weekend when my stepdad wasn’t home.”

At 17, Morgan was prescribed opiates. That quickly led to dependence. Heroin and fentanyl use soon followed. By her mid-20s, even Morgan’s sales jobs at liquor stores fed her addiction. She was hosting tastings, building relationships with customers, and even developing a modest social media following. But behind that public persona, her addiction continued.

“I was stuck in a cycle that seemed impossible to break,” Morgan said.

After she was arrested for drug possession in 2016, she entered drug court for the first time and promised to get treatment. When she didn’t, she was arrested again and spent seven months in jail.

In August of 2024, Morgan was picked up on a warrant. A drug court judge in Syracuse gave her a second chance. This time, Morgan committed fully to 118 days of in-patient treatment. She then transitioned to Grace House, Unity House’s residential rehabilitation program in Auburn.

At Grace House, Morgan found the structure and accountability she had been missing.

Through the program’s 12-Step approach, individualized recovery planning, and consistent support from staff, she began to rebuild her life. She marked sobriety milestones alongside her peers and developed tools to sustain her recovery.

“Working with my sponsor and my counselor forced me to take a hard look at myself and do the work I had been avoiding for so long,” she said.

With the support system she needed to succeed, Morgan graduated from Syracuse Community Treatment Court in April.

“I learned how to cope instead of escape,” she said during her graduation speech. “I learned that asking for help is not a weakness; it’s a strength.”

Now nearly two years sober, Morgan has completed courses to become a credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor (CASAC). She is employed at Syracuse Recovery Services and she helps others navigate the same challenges she once faced.

“I’m just looking forward to giving back what has been given to me,” Morgan said. “For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful about my future.”