My name is Stefani! I was in active addiction for over 20 years! My recovery date is 05/25/21! My addiction started out with surgeries! I had 12 surgeries and 2 cancer diagnoses from 2002-2005! Prior to my first surgery I never had touched a drug ( besides a cigarette, coffee, or occasional hit of 420). I knew absolutely nothing about opioids or addiction! I guess you could of called me naïve at that time! I was 21 when I had a complete hysterectomy (3 separate surgeries) due to a cancer diagnosis! The Lord blessed me with 2 beautiful children before this took place! No one ever talks about how having a hysterectomy changes you…your body and your mind! I didn’t feel like a woman anymore! But I didn’t understand how I was feeling at that time! The more numb I became! On my 23rd birthday is 2005 I received news of another cancer diagnosis! This one was different though! The Dr told me after my first surgery that it was not cancer but the pathologist had a feeling to take a second, more closer look! I thank the Lord that he did! Stage 3 Hurthle Cell Follicular Carinoma of my thyroid! Treatment and another surgery took place in Tulsa! After leaving this hospital continued to prescribe heavy opioids monthly for another year! Once that prescription stopped out of the blue I was so miserable that I began cutting…I thought it would release some of the pain! It made things worse! I was admitted into a mental hospital twice and a 30 day rehab! Which didn’t stick because I didn’t do it for me! I was forced into it! I didn’t think I had a problem! I ended up getting a divorce following that! I was in a situation where my son had to stay with his father, and I took my daughter and moving to NC with my family! Which I attended a 6 mon outpatient rehab!! Following that I found myself drinking and drinking a lot! One bad relationship after another and more surgeries! I was right back at it in 2009 and never stopped until 2021! I was homeless for 2 years…living on the streets and sometimes a car! I got into a car accident on 03/06/20 and overdosed on 03/08/20! They put me in a coma for 3 days, a hold for 5 days, and a 10 day inpatient mental health hospital! I was released and stayed with my mom and dad, frantically searching for a inpatient rehab…anywhere! I was without insurance at this time! I was finally acepted into one in downtown Charlotte! I stayed for 15 days and left with someone I met there! There is where the homelessness took place and I hit a whole new level with my addiction! I traveled across the US and stayed in a car! Lost the car and ended up on the streets of downtown Denver Co! I was lost in a heroine and fetynal addiction when I met an angel one night! He told me I didn’t have to live like that, and there was a free clinic with free MAT right down the street! The next morning my recovery started! The following day after that, I was employed full time! It was tough living on the streets and working but I did it! I never turned back! I saved and pull all my resources and got an apartment!! Still a while in a severely abusive relationship! I started recovery while in it! It got so bad I was praying and begging every night to God for him not to take my life! On 03/27/22 I gave my life to Jesus and mountains began to move! On 04/26/22 I was able to leave the relationship! Additional trauma occurred that following night but I remained in recovery/sober through it all, with God standing by myself! I am now in NC with my family! I able to take care of my parents, I’m making amends with my children, and loving myself! I am finally at a place where I’m at piece!!
Hi All , 62 and been a drinker for many years, trusting I have a chance to enjoy a sober life as my life is not really enjoyable with the constant thoughts about Alcohol,dominating my thinking every hour. Manage a few sober times in the past but feel for my health finances and general wellbeing I have to keep away from Alcohol . Great to be here and with everyone a great day. Pete
I’m Grace and new to this site. I’m finding it very helpful. I am on day five and am pleased that I am not having too much physical discomfort, aside from not being able to sleep last night. I wasn’t sure that I could go five days without withdrawal symptoms. Thanks to everyone on this site for giving me the courage to move forward ODAAT.
God bless you for being so honest. Thank you for your post.
Greetings from Texas. It’s a pleasure to find myself at my keyboard on this Friday evening, rather than being adrift in a sea of uncertainty. I’ve proudly maintained three years of sobriety from alcohol and an impressive 37 years of drug-free living. At the moment, I reside in a sober living environment, a decision I made with little foresight into what to anticipate.
I can share this much about my experience: I’m discovering more about myself, both my strengths and weaknesses. I’m cultivating tolerance, diving deep into emotional intelligence, and nurturing healthier aspirations and dreams for my future. I genuinely appreciate the ability to confront each day with sobriety, even when circumstances or situations don’t align with my preferences. It grants me the opportunity to identify areas where I can enhance myself and my circumstances. In my days of not being sober, I drifted aimlessly, completely unaware and unconscious of the awareness I possess today. Happy Friday to all the warriors.
Congratulations, you are brave and resilient. Thank you for sharing that with us. You are blessed!
Good evening, you have taken the first and the bravest step. Pete, I just want to share with you that we all wake up with 2 great gifts every day. One is chance and the other is choice. We all have a chance and we all have a choice. You are indeed strong because you took the chance to share with us and that was a choice. God Bless you Pete.
30 days sober
Congratulations 30 days is fantastic!
Hi I’m Danielle I’m 33 years old and have 3 children. I have been battling my addiction with drugs and alcohol since age of 13. I first began to use cause it seemed like the thing to do all my friends at the time were partying it up trying to be like the older high school kids within 3 months I got in trouble and had to go to a group home for 6 months when I come home I dabbled with stuff here and there and ended sup pregnant with my first child at 16. Me and her father got very deep in opiate addiction around the age of 18 little did I know that within 3 years I would be arrested with him and become a felon. Got in a relationship with my son’s dad and that turned out to be a very abusive relationship and I had my son at 24 and thank God he never detoxed or anything because I used my whole pregnancy. I ended up Violating probation and was sent to drug court and that saved my life at the time it was the first time I truly worked the program worked the steps had a sponsor and I got 2 years clean during them 2 years I ended up pregnant with my last daughter. In the end of 2016 I had a bad custody battle with my son’s dad and I relapsed loosing everything including signing my kids over to my family and shortly after in 2017 I ended up going to prison and.i began to work the program again in prison through the na program I side the walls right before coming home it came out my son was being abused by his father and the VA e my parents custody of him also I was overwhelmed upon coming home from doing 2 1/2 years in prison and 8 relapsed shortly after release and I also violated parole and was sent back to prison for right at another 2 years.ever since being released i have battled with my addiction and been wide open I was on meth o ly at first and then I found heroin and it was like the cure to all my.problems after several overdoses and time to sit and think I decided that I had to do something I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and I 2ant3d a new life. I done the one thing I have never been willing to do and it was to leave my old playgrounds behind me and move away and start over and that was my best decision I’ve ever made. I am loving in sober living I have 31 days today and I am totally enjoying life and so thankful to be able to have another chance to get it right to show my children that their mom is gonna make things different. I am so thankful that God has never given up on me even when I gave up on Him and myself.
I am nick new here 10 days sober done it a 1000 times i made it this far feel pretty good hope everyone is doing good tonight
Hi, my name is Steve. I am a 67 year old male, and this is my first day of sobriety from alcohol. I am married with 2 sons.
I have been drinking heavily for years. Have been in hospital for pancreatic cancer 6 years ago and still continue to drink now.
I use it for self medication.
My wife has had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 32 years. My youngest son, 35, is autistic with very challenging behavior’s. My oldest son, 40, lives in Australia with his wife and two daughters. My wife and I went out to visit them 3 times (including their wedding), this led to a family break-up, with the consequences being that my wife and I are no longer welcome in Australia, even after we apologized profusely. Our eldest son has not spoken to us in almost 7 years. We get to see our grand daughters every 2 weeks for 40 minutes on Zoom calls.
Our hearts are broken and I personally drink a lot to cope with all this.
@Rad1 thanks for sharing. It’s really painful to read what happened to you. So sad. But now I am going to pray for you and one wonderful thing that I realize is that you are still married and you remain faithful to one another although all the difficulties
I have been drinking since i was about 16, Im now 49, i stopped for a bit when i was about 20 when i was prego with my son , but really anytime after that i was a drinker. After work 3-4 ,mabye more depended how bad or good my day was or just because it was day, any kind of day. Weekends started a bit earler, a ceaser with lunch of course, then to the harder stuff. Gin was my favorite and went down too easy. And its was that fine line for me as well, Happy Happy Izzy, then 1 drink to much mean mean angry… I hated me that way ,
I am new to recovery I am in sober living I went into treatment for drugs in September my clean date is Oct 4th of 2023
Welcome. This is the place to help you along on your sober journey. Read and enjoy all the great Talking Sober Friend’s posts,