Category: Recovery Testimony

A Day in the Life of an Addict: Joe L

“You’re breaking my heart.” They’re the only words Joe L.’s mother could say that day when her son called to ask for a favor. Maybe the details were different, but it was just another version of a story she’d heard before. There’s a check on the way but it hasn’t

What Recovery Means to Me

How can I put into words something that can only be experienced? It takes my breath away to think of where I was two years ago. I seem to start reflecting on where I’ve been and where I’ve come as sobriety birthdays approach. And I’m not just talking about substance

Effects of Cocaine: From Addict to Graduate

Sunrise brings doom for every cocaine addict. My heart, still pulsing from lines of Columbia’s notorious export, sounded like a Scarface drum solo. I tore the plastic baggy apart, but I knew there was nothing left. I felt like I was in a free falling elevator. Frantically, I called and

Sober Sagas | Low Stakes Living and High Stakes Poker

I started sneaking drinks at a very early age. My parents kept a bottle of white wine in the downstairs refrigerator. Livingston Cellars provided my first feeling of ease and comfort, and I soon discovered a couple pulls brought a nice buzz. While other kids my age concerned themselves with

Powerless: How I Ended Up in Drug Rehab at Discovery Place

My initial exposure to the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous was back in 1991 or so as a 28-day guest of a residential treatment center in Memphis, Tennessee; however, as an extremely immature young man a couple of years out of college, my commitment to clean and sober living did not really take. As