The Story Behind The Shop

Hi, I’m Peyton, the creator behind Distressed Out — and what started as a small creative outlet became the thing that helped me rebuild my life.

A few years ago, I survived a near-fatal fall while in the depths of addiction and depression. I broke multiple levels of my spine (L1–L5), burst L3, fractured my heel, and underwent emergency spinal fusion surgery. I spent weeks in the hospital unable to walk or stand — and that moment changed everything.

Before that, I had been fighting for my life through alcohol and drug addiction. I’d been in and out of detoxes, rehabs, and hospitals — nearly 30 times. I lost almost everything, including my health, stability, and sense of self. But through that darkness, something unexpected started to grow.

When I finally began rebuilding, I found freedom in thrifting — finding beauty in what others had thrown away. It became a metaphor for recovery itself: taking something broken and turning it into something new. With no money and nothing but time, I started reworking my own clothes, experimenting with pieces, and sharing them online. What began as a fun distraction in a wheelchair became Distressed Out — a small business built from survival, creativity, and healing.

Today, every piece I make is hand-distressed and reworked — imperfect on purpose, just like all of us. My art keeps me grounded and sober, and your support helps me keep creating.

Distressed Out is for anyone who’s ever had to rebuild themselves from the ground up.

Distressed on purpose. Built from healing. Made by hand. 🖤