Stories of Sobriety: Success Stories of the Year

Alcohol had, over many years, subtly become my higher power, fully taking over my life. Every morning I would awaken with fear of going to work. My tremors would be so bad that at times I could barely sign my name, never mind perform the necessary skills for my profession. My hands would sweat so much that I could barely don sterile gloves. I was fortunate at that time to primarily be supervising three highly skilled fellows training in our practice any involvement on my part.

• I decided I wanted a change and soon after I was offered a position with a high-end custom home builder.
• There is a stereotype for what someone with an “alcohol problem” looks like.
• After connecting with a supportive call center counselor, he chose Gateway.
• Because today, the benefits of sobriety far outweigh the momentary pleasure of alcohol.
• This disease isn’t relegated to a specific group of people.

I just wanted it to be part of who I was, no effort needed. Those are traits with a double-edged sword that can lend themselves to a disposition to substance abuse, but they’ve also allowed me to lead an exciting, adventurous life. They also make me a great entrepreneur, business owner, and leader in general. I’d also never give up the personal growth I’ve experienced in the last year.

One year sober

«It’s fine when you’re in a 30-day program, but what are you going to do when you get out of it? My department supports that transition.» «I immersed myself into going to meetings all the time and just surrounded myself with people that were doing the same thing I was trying to do,» she said. «The first year was not easy … but I just kept hanging on.»

But it all starts with you, contact us today. The Sober Motivation podcast will have new guests each week sharing their sobriety stories in hopes to inspire others https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/6-successfull-and-motivational-sobriety-stories/ about what is possible. Here I was, on a Sunday morning carrying bedsheets past my parents, who were waiting to have family breakfast with me, downstairs to wash.

Morgan Stroberg found her «savior» in Alcoholics Anonymous.

I felt at home when talking to another addict/alcoholic. I still feel the same way today even after 3 continuous years of sobriety. After 90 days, I went to my first group dinner, my first party, and my first bar with friends. I avoided them for the first 3 months because I needed to stay sober and didn’t want to put myself into potentially triggering situations until I felt solid.

«The real job in recovery is a total transformation from the inside out. It is a journey and process that is ongoing throughout life. It is not a destination.» «My family knew immediately when I arrived back to the house,» she said. McLeod is living proof that addiction can affect all kinds of people — even those who never sought out drugs in the first place.

‘My mom said, ‘there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re an alcoholic.»

The first time Kimberly Wessels drank, at age 18, she had two bottles of wine, blacked out, and threw up on herself. Dolan, now 42, has logged a decade of sobriety and works as an alumni relations manager at the same facility she attended back in 2007. She organizes events and workshops for those who’ve graduated from treatment. «I wanted to use [Instagram] as a way of really getting my story out,» he said. «To see if it can help someone in the same way that that one person years ago was able to help me.»

House managers are also super involved, go to the same meetings and know what is going on with the clients. A 2nd Generation Muslim immigrant, grew up in Virginia and at 17 years old started to drink alcoholically until he was 35. Today, he’s four years sober and continues to see the promises be availed in recovery. Tampa Bay native, born into an addicted household. Started drinking and smoking weed at 13 years old, by 18 he discovered opiates, at 30 years old things started to take turn for the worst.

months sober

Recovery for me is showing up every day and being the best person I can be. Both my wife and I needed to see that recovery is possible, that this can happen. I was able to look back at my childhood and see all the warning signs of just not feeling good about myself, not feeling like I fit in, feeling like I was an outcast. I was facing the decision to put some real work into myself or give up. I decided I wanted to give this one real chance. Because of this, after two years of college it didn’t work out, and I came home – and my addiction came back with me.

So sobriety for me is like a bridge back to a normal life. Caring less about yourself and caring more about helping others. Having some small impact on someone else’s life.

He split with his wife and has been struggling to re-enter his old line of work. But at Gateway, he discovered coping mechanisms that allow him to counter the inevitable stressors that life brings. His relationship with his ex-wife is warm again and, he says, they are a better team as parents living apart.

• I underwent a reversal of the vasectomy, and soon thereafter, my wife was pregnant with our third healthy child.
• To remain in treatment, though, she had to stay clean.
• Sobriety means as much as Jesus does to me.

We talked about our discontent with our marriages, among other things. Soon we were flirting and going to lunch together. I was very fearful of beginning a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, I met a girl from back home with whom I began a relationship during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years.

My relationship with my wife, both emotionally and physically, was absent. I was unable to participate in any kind of family activity, especially if it interfered with my drinking. My family would watch TV in one room and I would be in another drinking to oblivion. If I watched a movie with the family, it was unlikely I would remember any details of the movie the following morning. I began a friendship with another woman during this time.

• The second night, I began to have diarrhea with old, digested blood in it.
• When celebrities addicts are high functioning addicts, they often use their fame and their success as excuses to justify their addiction.
• Every second of the day, all I wanted was to have that feeling again.
• Zach had a great job, was making “killer” cash, and thought that because he had money, his drug use wasn’t a problem.

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.