Surviving Addiction

Just here to share what I can in the hopes that some people will be helped. Over the many years that finally resulted in my recovery I tried many ways of attempting to handle my addictions such as drinking less, substituting etc.

I was told repeatedly “don’t substitute” but of course I had to try anyway. Also after “treatment” I kept feeling that I needed to return home to help my partner escape addiction. I thought that I could set a good example by sharing what I’d learned and by staying clean etc. I did that twice.

The councilors at the treatment facility told me every time that it was a bad idea to do that and that I just needed to move away and start my life over some place else. I figured they cared and that they were trying to help but I also thought “they don’t know me and my situation”.

All that ever happened from my returning to the mountain, (I lived off the grid on a small mountain in northern Maine) was that I would fail in my recovery.

Finally on my 3rd stay at the Residential Treatment Facility I was ready to take their advice and not return to the mountain. After I left the RTF, I got on a bus, and went to a 1/2 way house hundreds of miles away and never returned.

Substituting & keeping the same friends never worked for me. What worked was Beginning again fresh. Moving far away where no one knew me and my history and not substituting one drug for another. These days the worst thing I do is drink tea or coffee. I’ve been clean now since November 1994. I hope this snapshot of my story helps someone. Thanks for reading.