Sarah Faith leads us through mental health awareness month with a heavy and heartfelt song about loving her mother through her addiction, and the journey of trying to heal from that pain.

As dark as it can be, we want to believe that “Rock Bottom” is a place of hope; a place of starting over, where the only way left is up. Loving someone who is yet to hit that low can feel like waiting on the edge of your seat for your whole life, as you wait for them to reach rock bottom so they can finally figure out how to make the change you’ve been praying for. Unfortunately, some people never find it, and heartbreakingly, this is what Sarah Faith’s new single is about.

“The thing about addiction is some people find their rock bottom, and some people don’t,” Sarah says. “Not a day goes by that I don’t wish my mom could have somehow found hers.” 

In this deeply touching expression of experience, Sarah — along with co-writer Baily Ingle — captures the emotional process of coping with an abusive mother and her struggle with alcoholism. Her lyrics hit hard on the nuances that can be most painful, and her vocals are rich with emotion as she sings, “Tell me are you better now / Running with the cool kid crowd / While we’re all stuck / Watching you self-destruct”

“It took me a while to understand that there could be a greater purpose for everything that I went through as a child,” explains Faith. “I know I’m not the only one that’s gone through traumatic times, so if I can say something that helps people feel less alone, it’s a win.”

Whether you can relate to this struggle directly, or simply sympathise with those who can, you will feel moved by the weight of this song. Listen below and keep your ear out for Sarah’s upcoming album, Lessons From the Archives, out June 11.