Stories of Sobriety: How 5 Women Made the Decision to Ditch Drinking

Not long after, I became part-time student, full-time connoisseur of alcohol and drugs. I had found my niche, my people, and fervor for life. Everyone there has the same goals; stay sober, support those around you, attend meetings, follow the 12 steps, and lead a clean life.

“I saw someone on social media that I was friends with back in high school and who I knew had a drug problem,” he told INSIDER. “I saw this person become open about going through rehab. I saw their journey of completely flipping everything around — they completely changed for the better. And it gave me this glimmer of hope.” “I came home and I decided to find a therapist for treatment.

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My wife was pregnant with our second child. I started a pain practice as part of this small anesthesia group and became quite successful in the medical community. I did become friendly with two non-physician coworkers, and we began getting together for martinis and cigars on a frequent basis. I no longer drank much beer, as it did not provide the needed effect without voluminous consumption.

• 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.
• She also began posting about her sobriety online to keep herself accountable, which led her to “a great network of other sober people around the world to mutually support.”
• I attended all my classes and did my assignments and readings.
• My entire life, I have been a huge risk taker with an all-or-nothing mentality and a touch of non-comformity.
• There is a human face behind every example, and there is real hope that addiction recovery can change your life.

In 2009, I got pregnant by my long term boyfriend. I decided to keep my baby and I stayed sober during my entire pregnancy. But, as soon as my son was born, I picked up right where I left off. I remember making bottles for him https://ecosoberhouse.com/ drunk at 3 am while I took swigs from a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. Now, I look back at this and feel truly ashamed. My boyfriend supported us for a while then I got a job in retail and we moved into our own 1 bedroom apartment.

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I knew I wanted more for myself and the people who loved me. I learned the tools to help me get my life on track. Horror at the realization of how far I had let alcohol take me empowered inspirational stories of sobriety me to remain abstinent for 100 days. Knowing I needed some helpful guidance to be able to hang on any longer, I began a desperate online search for 12 Step alternatives.

Anything that helps one be at peace with himself is a good group to be a part of, especially in a hostile environment as jail could be without the proper means to a degree. Support isn’t the only thing needed however and it still took me a good long time to get sober for good. I had to learn things about myself, about the nature of addiction and about what I needed to change and what I needed to hold on to. But it’s been more than 15 years now since I had a drink. I’m not Mr. Happy now — my life isn’t filled with joy every minute.

sober before-and-after photos from real people who fought addiction — and won

It becomes the only thing that makes you happy. You become totally dopamine deficient, meaning that nothing else hits the bar like alcohol does. And even then, the pleasure you got when you first started drinking is gone. All that’s left is pain and a compulsion to keep using — this is how all addiction works.

• When you’re an alcoholic and you’re not sober, you feel trapped.
• I also found a high power that I choose to call God.
• At the meeting, she met many others in her situation, and she saw how they were enjoying being substance-free.
• The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
• The friendships and accountability that comes with being a resident are awesome.

“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.

The simplest explanation is that I’m happy when everyone around me is enjoying themselves however is best for them. I do know that some people worry I’m judging them for their drinking, or that I won’t still be “fun” to hang out with, and that’s unfortunate. Or maybe you just don’t like the way you feel after an extra glass of wine to take the edge off the day. She also began posting about her sobriety online to keep herself accountable, which led her to “a great network of other sober people around the world to mutually support.” She now works as an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. In order to secure a license to practice in the dental field, Gorecki was subjected to a three-year drug and alcohol testing program, which she says helped keep her sobriety in check.

I went to a few AA meetings, but also not for me. I read the books, I did the workbook, I cleaned all the alcohol out of the house. I have now been clean and sober for almost two years. They gave me the tools that I needed to develop my own plan and the support I needed to stick to it.

Getting involved in a 12 step program and attending meetings on a regular basis has helped me grow to be a better person. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to stay sober and make a positive change in their life. In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with harrowing images of addiction.

I had crossed a line that I could no longer be and had not been a social drinker for a long time. I could not do anything about previous days and the heck with tomorrow. I went to class everyday and learned about the disease and why I might be the way that I am. I also started to go to AA meetings on a daily basis and found out that there are lots of people that suffer from the same maladies that I had. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and be proactive instead of being reactive.

months sober

“I just kept lowering and lowering my standards. When I went to college, it really took off. I joined a sorority, made friends with drug dealers.