[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >>> THE WOMEN YOURE ABOUT TO
MEET HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR THEM.HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR
THEM.
GREAT JOBS, GREAT FAMILIES.
BUT THEY WERE EACH HIDING SOMETHING, THAT CAME CLOSE TO
DESTROYING THEIR LIVES.
IN DAY TWO OF OUR SPECIAL
SERIES, "SECRETS, TELLING MY
TRUTH," WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THEIR
HIDDEN WORLDS.
HIDDEN WORLDS.
LISA SMITH SEEMED TO HAVE IT ALL. SMITH SEEMED TO HAVE IT
ALL.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL, SHE LANDED A JOB AS A
POWERFUL ATTORNEY, IN THE CITY
OF DREAMS, NEW YORK.
>> IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LIFE IN THE BIG-TIME., YOU KNOW, LIFE IN THE
BIG-TIME.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I LIVED IN MANHATTAN. FIRST TIME I LIVED IN
MANHATTAN. >> Reporter: JEN SIMON WAS THE
SUPERMOM, CAPABLE OF HANDLING
CHILD CARE AND DROP-OFFS WITH
THE GREATEST OF EASE.
BUT LISA AND JEN WERE HARBORING
SECRETS.
SECRETS.
FOR LISA, IT STARTED WHEN SHE
BECAME OVERWHELMED BY WORK. SHE WAS LOOKING TO TAKE THE EDGE
OFF.
OFF.
>> GOT COMPLETELY UNPREPARED.
PROGRESSED FROM TWO GLASSES OF WINE A NIGHT, TO GETTING CLOSER
TO A BOTTLE.
TO STARTING TO WAKE UP AND SAY,
DID I OPEN A SECOND BOTTLE LAST NIGHT?OPEN A SECOND BOTTLE LAST
NIGHT?
AND LOOKING AND FINDING THAT I
HAD.
>> Reporter: JENS SECRET LIFE
BEGAN BETWEEN PLAY DATES. PILLS, SHE SAID, HELPED HER TO
GET THROUGH THE DAY.
>> I STARTED USING PILLS SIX
MONTHS AFTER MY SONS BIRTH.
I HAD PAIN PROBLEMS.
AND I WENT TO MY DOCTOR AND HE PRESCRIBED PERCOCETS.OR AND HE
PRESCRIBED PERCOCETS. THE PERCOCET WOULD MAKE ME FEEL
LESS ANXIOUS AND LESS DEPRESS.
I STARTED TAKING IT EVERY DAY.
>> Reporter: SOON, THE NEED FOR
JUST ONE DRINK, JUST ONE PILL,
SPUN OUT OF CONTROL.
>> AT MY PEAK, I WAS DRINKING AT
LEAST TWO BOTTLES OF WINE A DAY.
I HAD TO BUY FROM MY DEALER
PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR GRAMS A
WEEK, FIVE GRAMS A WEEK OF
COCAINE.
COCAINE.
>> NO ONE KNEW I WAS ADDICTED TO
PILLS BECAUSE I COULD FUNCTION
WHEN I TOOK THEM.
I WOULD TAKE UP TO A DOZEN PAINKILLERS. UP TO A DOZEN
PAINKILLERS.
AND HALF A DOZEN ANXIETY DRUGS EVERY DAY. DOZEN ANXIETY DRUGS
EVERY DAY. >> Reporter: TODAY, JEN AND LISA
SAY THEYRE CLEAN.
JEN WENT THROUGH REHAB, AND NOW,
MANAGES HER STRESS WITH THE HELP
OF A PSYCHOLOGIST.
LISA WENT THROUGH REHAB, TOO.
TODAY, SHES SOBER, MARRIED AND
IN ADDITION TO BEING A LAWYER,
PURSUING A NEW LOVE, WRITING.
THEY SAY COMING CLEAN ABOUT
THEIR SECRETS, ALLOWED THEM TO
HEAL AND SET THEM FREE.
>> ITS BETTER WHEN YOU CAN LIVE
WITHOUT THE SECRET.
WITHOUT THAT WEIGHT AROUND YOUR
NECK.
NECK. >> WELL, LISA HAS WRITTEN ABOUT
HER STRUGGLE IN HER NEW BOOK,
GIRL WALKS OUT OF A BAR.
AND LISA SMITH AND JEN SIMON ARE
HERE WITH US NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
HERE.
SCARY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, IM
SURE, OR WRITE ABOUT IT IN A BOOK. OR WRITE ABOUT IT IN A
BOOK.
HOW IS IT THAT A LAWYER, A HIGH-FUNCTIONING LAWYER, CAN BE
DRINKING TWO BOTTLES OF WINE A
DAY AND SCORING DRUGS FROM A
DEALER?
DEALER?
>> YEAH. IT IS A PROGRESSIVE THING.
SO, IT WAS REALLY A TEN-YEAR
SPIRAL.
SPIRAL.
AND BY THE END OF THAT SPIRAL, I REALLY -- I COULDNT GET OUT OF I
REALLY -- I COULDNT GET OUT OF BED WITHOUT HAVING A DRINK.
SO, WHEN I HAD A DRINK AND
BACKED IT UP WITH SOME COCAINE
TO STRAIGHTEN THE AEFFECTS OF TH
ALCOHOL OUT.
ALCOHOL OUT. >> THAT GOT YOU TO NORMAL.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> HOW DO YOU FIND A DRUG DEALER
WHEN YOURE A LAWYER?
YOURE NOT HANGING OUT IN THE
BACK ALLEYS, I ASSUME.
>> NO.
>> NO. THEYRE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BARS, MOSTLY.
BARS, MOSTLY. >> AND NO ONE KNEW.
YOU WOULD GO TO THE OFFICE.
AND NO ONE COULD TELL YOU WERE
DRINKING OR USING COCAINE?
>> NO.
>> NO.
THE LAST 18 MONTHS, DRINKING AND
COCAINE TOGETHER.
IM CIRCLING THE DRAIN BY THE
END.
AND IT HAD TO END.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS THAT MADE YOU START ABUSING THESETHAT
MADE YOU START ABUSING THESE SUBSTANCES?
SUBSTANCES?
>> I HAVE IT IN MY FAMILY. THERES A GENETIC COMPONENT TO
THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION.
AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A
HEALTH ISSUE OF DEPRESSION.
I THINK WE HAVE IT ALL TO BE
PERFECT.
PERFECT.
AND ITS JUST TOO MUCH. >> AS SHE GRADUATED TOP OF HER
CLASS, NORTHWESTERN, ON A LAW
REVIEW.
REVIEW.
YOU CHECK OFF THE BOXES AND FEEL LIKE, WINNING, AND THEN,AND FEEL
LIKE, WINNING, AND THEN, SPINNING, SPINNING.
SPINNING, SPINNING. JEN, YOURE -- YOU STARTED WITH
PERCOCET.
PERCOCET.
RIGHT?
>> YES. >> AND YOU TOLD OUR STORY TO OUR
PRODUCERS ABOUT STEALING DRUGS
FROM YOUR FRIENDS?
>> I DID.
>> I DID. I VISITED MULTIPLE DOCTORS.
I WAS DOCTOR-SHOPPING.
AND THAT WASNT ENOUGH.
I ASKED MY FRIENDS FOR THEIR
DRUGS, THEIR PILLS.
ANY SORT OF XANAX, OPIOID, LIKE
PERCOCET, I ASKED FOR.
AND I TOOK THEM OUT OF THEIR
MEDICINE CABINETS AND NIGHT
STANDS WHEN I DIDNT FEEL LIKE I
COULD ASK THEM.
>> DID ANYONE EVER CATCH YOU?
>> NO.
>> NO.
A FRIEND SAW ME ONCE SHUTTING A DRAWER.D SAW ME ONCE SHUTTING A
DRAWER.
I MADE A LIE ABOUT HOW A DRAWER
WAS OUT AND I NEEDED TO PUT A WIRE AWAY.D I NEEDED TO PUT A
WIRE AWAY. NO ONE SUSPECTED.
I WAS TAKING CARE OF MY KIDS,
MAKING DINNER.
MAKING DINNER. I AM A WRITER.
I WAS WRITING FIVE OR SIXES
ARTICLES A MONTH.
>> WERE YOU AFRAID?
WERE YOU AFRAID OF BEING CAUGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS ASHAMED.
AND I THOUGHT I WAS ALONE. AS A MOTHER, I WASNT THEE.
AS A MOTHER, I WASNT THE PICTURE YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU
THINK OF A JUNKIE, WHEN YOU
THINK OF AN ADDICT.
AND I REALLY -- I COULDNT
IMAGINE LIVING WITHOUT MY PILLS.
SO, I DIDNT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW
AND TO MAKE ME GIVE THEM UP.
>> YOU FINALLY TOLD YOUR
HUSBAND.
HUSBAND.
THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP FOR YOU? >> I DID.THE FIRST STEP FOR YOU?
>> I DID.
THAT WAS MY FIRST STEP. THAT WAS THE SCARIEST BUT
GREATEST THING IVE EVER DONE.
HE WAS INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.
HE HELPED ME GET HELP.
HE HAS BEEN SO BEAUTIFUL.
THROUGH EVERY STEP.
>> WHAT IS IT LIKE STEPPING OUT?
REVEALING YOUR SECRET AND
REVEALING IT IN A BOOK.
WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?
>> ITS INCREDIBLY SCARY BUT AT
THE SAME TIME, VERY REWARDING.
MY WORLD HAS OPENED UP.
HUNDREDS OF WOMEN WRITE TO ME.
I WROTE AN ARTICLE IN "THE
WASHINGTON POST" LAST YEAR.
AND SINCE THEN, PEOPLE CONTACT
ME VIA TWITTER, VIA INSTAGRAM,
TO TELL ME THEY ARE GOING
THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING.
WHEN I TELL MY STORY, I TELL
THEIR STORY.
THEIR STORY. ARE
ARE >> ARE YOU STILL PRACTICING LAW?
>> IM AT A LAW FIRM.
IM ADMINISTRATION.
IM ADMINISTRATION. >> THERES A LOT OF HAPPY
LAWYERS.
LAWYERS.
I DONT KNOW THEM PERSONALLY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.LY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT LISAS