I look back and am amazed at how long I was OK with settling for that life. Those new connections have been a gift for me. I believe that people who experience addiction, get sober, and heal themselves are some of the most introspective, intelligent, interesting, and self-aware people out there. I’ve found that to be true of every single person that I’ve met in person or spoken to online in the recovery community. I also began to admit to myself that the goal was not to go back to drinking.

• I want to help others receive treatment.
• Drive-through workers, on-camera reporters, teachers, grandmas, doctors—we are everywhere.
• It’s living in the present, always aware I have choices to make every day.

Or at the very least, I thought I was broken and there was no way to “fix” myself. I never thought I would enjoy little things like getting a new car. And I never would have imagined I would get married. It helped me find who I really am—the Susan who was waiting there for me, just under the surface, ready to break free. It’s HARD but it is TOTALLY worth it in the end.

Everyday Angels: God’s Light

It is so empowering to be able to cope with life without drinking and using. I know that I can get through anything with the support of my higher power and my sober comrades. I am 5 years sober now, and I realized that my list wasn’t extreme or long enough. My BIG things on that list are happening. I am engaged to be married, and we are currently planning a destination vacation (I have never really traveled out of the midwest except maybe 1 or 2 times) for her 40th birthday.

But I also had an awful secret—an alcohol and cocaine addiction that had worsened to the point of drinking and using around the clock. I was what’s known as a high-functioning addict, looking like a relatively normal person to the outside world. “I’ve been on a winding journey trying to find my way in the world since I was 17. As a little girl, I felt different from everyone else. In high school, I was sexually abused and picked on.

Stepmom need to hear hope!

The money raised went directly to getting those who could not afford treatment for addiction get the help they needed. Runwell also encourages running and fitness as part of the recovery process. In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with harrowing images of addiction. Yes, the world knows that addiction can be an isolating, scary, and dangerous disease, but now it’s time for them to see what recovery looks like. It’s time for us to speak up and let the world know that recovery from addiction is possible and anyone is capable of living a healthy, wonderful life free of drugs and alcohol.

• I prided myself on never missing a day of school.
• Looking back now, I can see that I always drank to excess.
• You just have to want it with your whole heart.

A child actress, Drew Barrymore landed a role in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Her blonde curls and button nose resonated with audiences, and the role led to stardom. https://curiousmindmagazine.com/selecting-the-most-suitable-sober-house-for-addiction-recovery/ Below are four inspirational stories of celebrities who have reached out for support and lived to inspire others with their stories of sobriety.

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Patrick’s road to recovery has been long and difficult, but in the end, rewarding. His substance use began when he was a teenager. And like many types of progress, his improvement did not always happen in a straight line. Gina is an outgoing person, hence, her soul that shines through her eyes. Without hearing her story, you would never understand the trials and tribulations she endured to make it to where she is today.

I am 20 years old and got sober at 18 through Valley Hope. People have this idea that young addicts can’t stay sober. And to show them they are more than a relapse statistic.

It all happened while the children played together outside on the beach. They asked me if I had a problem with alcohol, which I flat out denied. I told them that I sometimes would drink quite a lot on weekends, but that it was something I could control.

But I was so deep into my disease that I didn’t ease up on my drinking. I am now a very grateful recovering alcoholic. My life is full of surprises all the time. I am grateful to have a program I can use to help me grow through life’s challenges. I no longer regret being an alcoholic since it is through my alcoholism that I have been able to grow and integrate a wonderful set of principles into my life.

Amy felt so much shame about how big alcohol had become in her life and felt no one would understand.

The hardest part of 2012 was when a good friend of mine passed away at the age of 26 from heart failure. I went to his grandmother’s house afterward and hugged his mom as everyone cried around me. I took my first drink in the eighth grade. But I remember that I split a bottle of vodka between myself and two other friends.