Alex Cardella, a 38-year-old real estate broker from the Upper West Side of New York City, seemingly embodied the ideal life of a Manhattan mother. With her husband and three children, including newborn twins, her life appeared flawless. Yet beneath this veneer lay a harrowing battle with opioid addiction that nearly cost her life.
In 2020, following the birth of her youngest child, Cardella faced severe postpartum depression and anxiety, conditions that affect approximately one in eight women in the United States. Struggling to cope with the pressures of motherhood, especially during the pandemic, she turned to a small bottle of white pills—oxycodone. Prescribed for pain relief due to complications from a retained placenta, the opioid quickly spiraled into an addiction that would dominate her life.
“I felt like I should be really happy and that I’m so blessed that I’m here and I have these three little kids,” Cardella recounted. “But to be totally transparent, I hated every minute of it.” The emotional relief offered by the medication became a dangerous escape for her.
Cardella’s dependency intensified as she began purchasing pills from a local dealer, spending around $300 each week. The situation deteriorated further in March 2022 when she underwent surgery for a liposarcoma tumor. Following the operation, her prescription for oxycodone was insufficient, leading her deeper into addiction.
By the time her family noticed her decline, Cardella’s health was at a critical juncture. “That’s really when things started to spiral for me,” she admitted, acknowledging that her husband confronted her about her drug use. Seeking help, they consulted a psychiatrist who prescribed gabapentin and naltrexone, the latter designed to block opioid effects and reduce cravings.
The transition was perilous. Cardella was warned against using opioids while on naltrexone, yet she attempted to manage both, resulting in a violent withdrawal episode that she described as one of the worst days of her life. Rushed to the hospital, she spent four days detoxing, emerging with a commitment to sobriety that lasted until January 2023.
Tragically, she relapsed after teaching Sunday School. Following a lunch in downtown Manhattan, she lost consciousness in a cab and awoke in an ambulance, having overdosed on what she suspects were oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid known for its potency. “That hit me like a ton of bricks,” she recalled, reflecting on the paramedics’ words urging her to apologize to her family.
In the aftermath, Cardella began taking Vivitrol, a monthly injection of naltrexone that has helped her manage cravings for nearly three years. She likened the treatment to a security system installed in her body, allowing her to navigate life without the noise of addiction.
Cardella’s journey does not end with her personal recovery. She and her husband have engaged in counseling to rebuild trust, while her children, now aged nine and five, remain unaware of their mother’s struggles. Looking ahead, Cardella aims to advocate for better treatment and awareness of the opioid epidemic, which impacts millions of Americans.
“My biggest hope is to tackle this issue like an epidemic, similar to HIV and AIDS,” she stated. “If a medication like Vivitrol exists, imagine if we put our funding and research efforts toward finding a cure.”
As she continues to fight for herself and others affected by addiction, Cardella’s story shines a light on the hidden struggles many face, emphasizing the need for compassion and comprehensive treatment in addressing this ongoing crisis.
