Author turns battle with addiction into message of hope

Keelo Phillips recently published her book “Free High,” which details her battle with addiction. The book chronicles her struggles, how she fell into the cycle of substance use, and the difficult process of breaking free. Phillips hopes her story will inspire others to better understand addiction and encourage those struggling to take the steps needed to recover.

“I’m also a recovering addict. I’ve been clean for a few years now, the longest I’ve ever been in my life,” said Phillips, 31, of Martinsville. “And just like a lot of people, I just got caught up with the wrong crowd at the wrong time.”

“Free High” is Phillips’ true story. She describes it as an honest look at addiction, the toll it took on her life, and most importantly, how she overcame it. She said she wrote the book to reach people who feel trapped by addiction and to show them that recovery is possible.

The first chapter, Phillips said, explains how she met people she believed were her friends, though she was already struggling with addiction before then. “I was addicted, I had an addiction before I even met them. So they wasn’t part of that addiction, but they played a big part. And, you know, everything that I went through, throughout the book.”

Phillips’ story also covers her time incarcerated because of decisions she made while in the cycle of addiction. She admitted it is still difficult to relive those memories. “This is real, this is real life story,” she said. “Horrible things” happen when you’re in the cycle. Writing the book, she added, was part of her healing.

“I didn’t plan for it to go this far at first. I just wanted to, you know, write my feelings on paper because it was a tremendous thing that affected my life. So once I started writing, I’m like, this is actually good.”

Encouragement from her mother and others helped Phillips continue the project and submit it to an editor. “I got an army behind me, so I learn every day that they’re pushing me to keep going,” she said.

Phillips said she hopes “Free High” encourages people not to give up on themselves. “I just want anyone that’s reading to know that no matter what you’re going through, no matter how far down you feel, there’s always a way forward,” she said. “Addiction doesn’t have to define you. Mistakes happen, and they don’t break you. Trouble doesn’t always last. You’ll get through it.”

She added that the book is the first in a planned series. She has already donated copies to local jails and said it can be purchased through Amazon.

“I’m telling y’all, it feels good when you first start, but I’m telling you once you start that drug, it takes over,” Phillips said. “Whether it’s addiction, whether it’s gambling, whether it’s money, you just gotta be strong-minded, and you gotta have faith that you can do it.”