Sober Saturday!! Recovery is a Reality!!

We love our success stories!!  Hoping this true story will inspire and give hope!!

I never thought that I would find sobriety in my hometown. Hell, I never thought I could become an addict, either, though, how that is possible is beyond me considering I grew up in a family of addicts and alcoholics. To me, those behaviors were the norm. But I always marched to the beat of my own drummer, and so I never thought drugs would be an issue for me.

I became a single mom at 19 and for most of my children’s lives never received child support.  That meant I had to work multiple dead-end jobs just to pay the bills and “get by”. I was fortunate to have a high school diploma and though intelligent enough for a degree, my lack of finances would not allow for that. Having faith in always having a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs and food in our cupboards allowed me to raise my children and instill enough work ethic and sense to get them through high school. Knowing that life could be better with higher education I supported both while finding their careers. With the kids grown and living their own lives I decided to begin my new life…except instead of filling out college applications – I started my drug career.  It was a chapter that lasted for 3 years.

The things that happened during this period not only had a negative effect on my life but were also changing the person I was. No one else could see that because frankly, I did not let them. I wore the appropriate masks.  I had all the right excuses. The façade I presented for the outside world never fooled the person I was on the inside and on the inside, I was dying. I heard when you abuse drugs and alcohol, you use and abuse people.  That was my rock bottom.  That was my wake-up call.  When I realized I was using people I cared about, the very people that I loved who had done so much for me, I was immensely hurt. I did not have to look in a mirror to see that I did not like the person looking back at me. My heart already knew. I still knew how to love, though, and I knew I needed to start loving myself again. That is when I asked for help.  In recovery we call it “surrender”.

It wasn’t easy admitting to myself that for once I couldn’t handle something on my own. I guess even before reaching out I knew there was a problem, but I only wanted to run away. We all know you cannot run away from your problems; it doesn’t matter where you go, you will always find people who are doing the same things you’re running away from. I’ve been told that when you admit to God you are helpless; he can work miracles.  On the day I surrendered and picked up the phone, God may not have been on the other end, but he was listening. I called the manager at 63 Washington and knew within the first few minutes what she had to offer was just what I had been wishing for. To my amazement she told me that there was 1 bed left and within 48 hours I was walking through the doors to what I would refer to quickly as my home. I have been here almost 4 months now and it is not always easy living with 6 other women.  But I have found a contentment being here with people who understand where I have been, what I have gone through and where I am now. I have been provided a shell in which to work on and gain not only my sobriety, but to find my place in the community and to redefine who I am. I feel for every person out there who is struggling with addictions of not only their own but for family members and friends. There are places to go like 63 Washington.  There are resources available out there to help all sorts of problems and people to help you find them.

I never thought I would find sobriety in my hometown. But I also never thought I would find myself again through sobriety. There is hope and there is help and you are never truly alone in the struggle of addiction. The best thing I ever did was to pick up the phone.

~Thank you to Tori for sharing!!!