Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Addison.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a dysfunctional household. My father was an addict and when his addiction took us from the household, I swore one thing, “I will never be like him, I will never do that.” Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to mental healthcare nor was it encouraged in my family. We were taught to keep the things that were going on in the household, in the household. When my father disappeared, and even a few years prior to that, when I first became aware of his addiction and the harm he was causing the family, I had begun showing signs of depression, anxiety, and addiction. My first addiction was to food, something I still am working on to this day. But, I didn’t know I was already self-medicating myself through food. I just knew that I wanted to feel better. In hindsight, it’s not a surprise that I became an addict. I exhibited all of the signs as a kid.
When I was 19, after not doing well in high school and not having college to look forward to, I moved across the country to California. I thought if I moved, all of my problems would be fixed. Unfortunately, I brought me with me, so all my problems were still there. At the time, everyone around me was smoking weed and one thing they said was, “It’s not addictive and it will make you feel better.” Those words were music to my ears. I was so lost and all I wanted to do was feel better. So, I started to smoke. I didn’t realize, at the time, that I was an addict, so when I started to smoke, I smoked like an addict would. When I was 21, I started drinking alcohol, and that was a wrap. For the next 8 years, I was lost in active addiction.
While I was in active addiction, I got into a car accident, my apartment burned down, I was sexually assaulted, I lost countless jobs, lost any friends I had, I started doing things that I would never have done sober, and I basically lost myself. By the end of my addiction, I was back on the east coast, my family wanted nothing to do with me, my Mom was on the verge of kicking me out of her house, I couldn’t keep a job, I had no friends, my body was starting to give out on me, I was severely depressed, my anxiety was through the roof, and I was suicidal. Luckily, someone told me help was available, that I could go to Treatment if I wanted to, even if I had no money. And while I didn’t take the help right away, eventually I did and that was a little over six years ago.
It’s funny, I went to Treatment, not because of all the bad things that happened to me, in fact, I wanted to keep using so I could forget the bad things that happened to me. It was truly a sick hamster wheel that I was on. I really wanted to go to Treatment because of Lin Manuel Miranda and In the Heights. Back in 2010, on the days where I could only afford the cheap gallons of liquor, I would sit in my room with the blinds drawn and the lights off. I would watch this documentary called, “In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams,” and I would sob. I had wanted a life in musical theater since I first saw RENT when I was 13. Jonathan Larson was the first person to give me permission to even think that I could one day write a story about myself. Anyway, I would watch this documentary and wish that I had what that guy on my screen had. I didn’t quite know what it was or what it would look like for me, but I wanted what he had and a voice inside would regularly say, “Elizabeth, you won’t have what he has unless you get sober.” The thing was is that I wasn’t necessarily afraid of death, I was afraid of dying with out living up to my potential; I was afraid of being wasted talent. And that is what propelled me into Treatment. A sense of purpose, a sense of being called to do and be more.
I stayed in Treatment for a year and during my first week there, I wrote in my journal, “this is so dramatic, someone should make a play or a musical about this.” I graduated treatment and when I was nine months sober, after what I feel like was divine intervention (I am writing a one-woman show about this, entitled “F**K!? Now What?!” so you can catch the full story here), I began writing my first musical, “This is Treatment,” a story about women living at a residential treatment facility for substance abuse.
Five years later, several self-produced shows in Boston, Cambridge, Arlington and New York city, “This is Treatment” has some serious legs and some very exciting things are coming for my little musical that could. I also recently was awarded the LAB grant to write my first one woman show, and last month I had coffee with Lin Manuel Miranda. All this to say, it’s amazing what can happen when you make the decision to change your life.
Life isn’t perfect. I run into challenges every day. I am still an addict and my addictive tendencies can manifest in a host of other behaviors. I still have bouts of depression and anxiety. The negative self-talk and the self-doubt can sometimes be debilitating, but I know that I don’t have to use over these things today. I am a work in progress and that’s okay.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I have dealt with addiction, depression, and anxiety for most of my life. My level of self-doubt can be crippling sometimes. The difference between where I was in my addiction, and even prior to my addiction, and where I am today, is that I started to listen to my gut. To my instinct. The voice has always been there, but I never really paid attention to it. I would say to young women who were just starting out to start listening to that voice. It may not be easy, you may be full of fear, doubt, and insecurity, I know I still am on a daily basis, but having the courage to listen has served me very well. I would also say to stop thinking about the leap and just take it. Many of us have all these dreams and aspirations but are too afraid to jump– jump. Just do it and you will figure it all out later. You will never be fully ready. This idea of starting only when you’re ready is going to keep you stuck. And have a little faith. Just a mustard seed is all you need. And some of us have a purpose, we see it very clearly. Some of us don’t and that’s okay. Give yourself a break. Perhaps go after things that you are curious about and let things unfold as they will.
what should we know about your business? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a composer, lyricist, playwright, producer, entrepreneur, activist and performer. Currently, I am known for my musical, “This is Treatment,” and my acting with the theater troupe, “The Improbable Players.”
What sets me apart from others? Nothing. I am just another bozo on the bus. I think the only thing is that I found the courage to just listen to that voice inside of me that said I am here for more.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Talk about The Thing. You don’t have to talk about it to everybody, in fact, I would encourage you not to because some folks seem like they are in the crushing dreams business, and we don’t want that for you. But find people you can trust and talk about it. Find people that will hold you accountable. Set deadlines for yourself (the only reason anything gets done is because I set deadlines for myself). When the work is at a place where you want to go public with it, continue to talk about it. Look for people who you admire and are doing the things that you want to do (or something close to it), youtube the heck out of them, listen to their music, read up on their businesses, etc, and find a way to reach out. Plant seeds all over the place because you never know where they are going to grow. Have a goal and just work towards it one day, one step, one moment a time.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 617-858-1054
- Email: elizabeth.addison@thisistreatment.com
- Instagram: elizabeth.addison3
- Facebook: facebook.com/thisistreatmentinc
- Twitter: chicboheme83
Image Credit:
Cast of Treatment, WCVB channel 5, Ames Beckerman, Images by the Hill (Katrina Hill)
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