Approximately 27 million Americans suffer from addiction, and an average of 200 people a day die from overdose every day. Despite the growing epidemic, there’s still a culture of silence around addiction and a stigma surrounding drug and alcohol use disorder. It’s often seen as more of a moral failing than a disease, and fear and shame keep many from being open about their addiction.
If you’re in recovery, you’re in a unique position to speak to others traveling down the same road you’ve been down. You have a story to tell — and it has the potential to provide great hope to those who hear it. It’s both an individual story of your personal journey from addiction to recovery and a communal story that relates to the greater whole of humanity.
Recovery Story – Kelly D, MA
I was born into an alcoholic family and had all of the ism’s at a young age. I became a teenage alcoholic at the age of 13 and ran with that for over 32 years in active addiction. I lost myself and was spiritually bankrupt for decades. I lost custody of my daughter when she was 4 never to see her as she is 15 today and a son that is 25 that grew up in my addiction and to this day will have nothing to do with me. I also have a 2 year old grandson that I never met. I keep it real today with almost 6 years in active recovery GOD willing this November. I still haven’t been able to mend those relationships yet however today I’m proud to say that most important relationship I mended was with myself.
I institutionalized myself for a couple of years to repair my soul!! I work a rigorous recovery by going to meetings, doing service, working the steps and accepting me for who I am today!! I LOVE ME!
Recovery Story – Meli C, CT
My mother passed away drinking and driving when I was 12.. I become an alcoholic after I got divorced when I was 31 to deal with my pain of loosing my family…its been a VERY rough road with my 3 boys over the years. With me drinking so much I ended up having a major stroke in Jan of 2018 that almost killed me. I Lost my job and the ability to use my entire left side of my body including my hearing and sight. , I had to move into my cousins attic because I needed so much help… but I never stopped drinking! As a matter of fact it got even worse because of depression. I got to the point in June 2019 that I could drive again and when I did I got into a major accident that almost killed me!! Talk about an eye opener! I didn’t want to be like my mom or my kid’s to say their mom died the same way!! My youngest son who was 20 asked me to get help as I was laying in the hospital bed, so I decided to check myself into a house rehab for 8 days and after I completed that program I checked into a 12 week 3x a week program and these were the best decisions of my life. Now I have been clean and sober since June 2nd.. I am now happily living in my own apartment with my rescue puppy and boyfriend.
Recovery Story – Danielle W
I was broken….
Started out just like most people with smoking pot, drinking etc. When I was 16, I had my son (who is now 15) and I had stopped everything I was doing for a while. I had a physically and mentally abusive boyfriend for 5 years and when I finally got away from him is when I got worse. I wanted to go out and “live my life”, live like everyone else had while I was home taking care of a child and missing out on life. I started getting into harder drugs. ecstasy, coke, pills.
It only got worse …
I got 2 DUIs before I was 21, started lashing out on my family for questioning me and soon we barely even spoke. When I was 24 a needle went into my arm for the first time and everything was over from there. From then on, I couldn’t stop, I had never felt “dope sick” before I never even knew what that was. After that I was a mess, I got myself in jail in NH, MA and CT, still didn’t stop me I would get right out and use again. My family cut me off, eventually I was homeless living out of my car. After my 3rd time in jail, my family wanted to get me out of NH, so I moved to CT to a sober house, stayed sober about 10months than I lost my husband to heroin overdose.He was my life …We got married young and we were married for 8 years before he passed. He was my middle school sweetheart, he was my first kiss even lol. Now even though we didn’t stay together after middle school but somehow, we got put back in each other’s lives for a reason. After his death, I was in and out of detox, rehab, etc for years to come.
It wasn’t until one day …
Something clicked for me and I was like “What the hell am I doing? I don’t want to be doing this!” I got myself into rehab once again in August 2017 and this year I celebrated 2 years free from my daemons. Today I have actual friends and I can be there for them, be reliable and dependable. I have a job I’ve had for over 2 years, I have my own apartment with 3 takes that rely on me to take care of them, I got to take a vacation this year which I never in my life have done!
Recovery is just beautiful! Even on my worst day sober is still always a better day than any day I was using!