People don’t leave rehab without having their lives changed. Getting clean by definition is a change in lifestyle, but it’s more than that. People tend to be at their lowest after abusing drugs to the point where rehab becomes necessary. Hearts are broken and relationships are destroyed. These things can do a lot of damage to a person’s mental well-being. Getting help, however, can turn things around, and stories from recovering addicts are proof of that.
Tara, a heroin user of 8 years from Saginaw, Michigan, lost her son in a custody battle because of it. Thanks to her treatment, she has managed to get her life on a better path.
“The day I graduated, it felt like I didn’t want to leave,” she recalled. “I’ve realized that there is another way, that I am capable of living a sober life, and that I can be happy without drugs. I’m happy all the time, just smiling and being positive about life.”
Alex, a former user of OxyContin, Opana, and painkillers, found life-changing help at A Forever Recovery, a Michigan-based rehabilitation facility.
“[Drugs were] really driving me to a low point in my life, and I decided I needed to change,” he said. “So I went to A Forever Recovery, and it has been life-changing. I started to steal sentimental items from my family, and that really started to tear me apart inside. It was not who I was at all, so I knew I needed a big change in my life. I was at a very dark point in my life. There were countless times when I even contemplated suicide. The moment I decided to get the treatment I just instantly felt like I became a hundred pounds lighter. It exceeded my expectations.”
“Everyone had the same goal of succeeding and being sober, and living a better life than the life they were living before,” he pointed out.
Jeremy, another recovering addict, said, “My life before I got to treatment was pretty hectic. I had just gone through a divorce, so my using on top of that made life a constant battle. Every day I’d wake up, and I’d start drinking just to function. It got to the point where every night I was blacking out. I really didn’t feel the need to live anymore. It’s the first time in my life that that crossed my mind. It was scary, and I knew I needed help.
“My favorite part about treatment was that it didn’t focus on the alcohol and drug use aspect so much. It was more about finding yourself — who you are in life and which direction to go. Before going to treatment, I was lost, and I didn’t think a program would be able to give me that. But now I am at peace with myself, and I actually have the confidence to go to the world outside of treatment. I have goals now in life.”
“If you’re lost and you can’t function on a daily basis without your drug of choice and you’re miserable, that’s no way to live,” he said. “I wake up every day now with a smile and just love life for what it is. Being sober and having that clear mind is such an amazing feeling. So you just have to honestly give it a chance and fight through it. In the end, it’s so worth it.”
The best thing about Jeremy’s words is that they ring true for so many recovering addicts who make their way through treatment. If you’re struggling with addiction, you too can have a happy ending with some help, hope, and healing.
Special Thanks to Amanda Bartow
