That's incredible how you turned your life around. Not everyone can do that. Takes strength.
As far as poetry, just write and write and write and who gives a fuck what other people think. It's a part of you, things that need to be said, a way to heal (because we are always healing, aren't we?).
And yeah, there's always classes, reading other poets, stealing ideas and transforming them into your own masterpiece.
And there's always other people's advice, too! I'm certainly no expert.