Success Story: An Amazing Journey to Sobriety

Because, in this life, the real blessings come from above. Don’t think that addiction has to be the end of your story. Because it can be the beginning of your recovery https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-spiritual-malady-means/ if you allow it to be. And don’t let people tell you you’re less than. Because I’m telling you, I lived on them cold streets, on the river bank, for multiple years.

• Thanks Valley Hope and all the dedicated staff.
• I couldn’t wait for the workday to end so I could get to my car and have a good dose of alcohol from the bottle under the seat.
• I can finally sleep each and every night without a problem.
• The following morning, after the kids were off to school, I told my wife that I was an alcoholic and that I was seeking help.
• I was still unsure what I wanted to do with my marriage.
• When I was about 15, I started drinking.

My health has improved 100% and I will always be grateful for the staff at Valley Hope for saving my life. They gave me direction and guided me through the addiction. Recovery has changed my life by showing me a happier way of life. While I was in my active addiction, I missed so many things with my family. Not loving my wife and children and loving the bottle instead really damaged my relationships and my health. After completing treatment at Valley Hope, I never felt better and my family is healing.

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It was difficult to do anything other than watch the clock, so I knew when it was safe to take another round of pain medication. I had asked a friend that we were going to be visiting, if he was going to run an 8k race (Glassfest 8k) where he lived. I didn’t even know how far an 8k was at the time! I ran two times leading up to the big day while pushing Sebastian in his stroller, and ran with him in the race. By shining a light on how recovery has impacted their lives, Valley Hope Alumni are helping people, families and communities find healing. I have contributed to discussions in IOP, Continuing Care along with supporting newcomers to AA in “first step” meetings.

I had been in recovery before attending Valley Hope; it was a surprise just how much I re-learned at Valley Hope. The biggest surprise was that I’m not always going to be judged by a slip or relapse. Although I’ve made mistakes in the past, I am able to share that experience and strength with others. People can attest to the miracles that places like Valley Hope have to offer. I support others in recovery by showing up to meetings, being a sponsor, and taking on roles in AA.

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I didn’t think my behaviors had to change. I thought I could act crazy and stay sober. I finally realized that even if I did manage to stay sober without making changes I was going to be a miserable human being.

Initially, I had lots of fear about returning to work. I worried about what people would think, what kind of criticism I would receive. Much to my surprise, many people barely noticed my extended absence. Those who knew of my course were, for the most part, very supportive.

‘It began to feel as if I were living two lives—only one of which I could remember’

“My therapist introduced me to my first sponsor who sent me to my first 12 step meeting. There was something about the people there that I couldn’t put my finger on inspirational stories of sobriety that kept me going. I know now that it was the light inside of them – the sunlight of the spirit – that spoke to me. “I got in a fight with a cop at 16 years old.

Todd found the program of AA, which led him closer to a higher power. “One of the most beneficial things I have learned is that the world does not have to change for me to be happy. If I am doing the work to discover what it is about a given situation that is bothering me, suddenly the freer I start to feel,” he says. James Frazer struggled with feelings of abandonment, low self-esteem, and social rejection early in life. In his mind, everyone else had it better than he did, and his lot in life was just never going to be as good as everyone else’s.

But, I made friends with some older people. I got drunk for the first time when I was 15. A friend invited me and another girl over to his house where his parents bought us alcohol. Throughout my junior and senior years in high school, I continued to drink whenever I could, as much as I could.