Romy Lee: From addiction to recovery - how I used my experience as a Korean Kiwi to help others

Growing up as a queer Korean New Zealander, Romy Lee lived between two worlds with two different sets of expectations. The identity dissonance and isolation drove her to substances as a teenager - a solution that worked until it didn't.After moving overseas thinking a geographical change would fix everything, Romy had a realisation: it wasn't the environment, it was her. That moment led to 18 weeks of residential treatment and now over seven years clean and sober.Today, Romy is National Manager for Child and Youth Mental Health at Asian Family Services. Her mission: ensuring every young Asian New Zealander sees themselves reflected in the mental health support they receive.We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text or a voicemail by clicking here. If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources: https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/