Twelve years ago today I got sober. I was 27 years old. I’d love to say I chose to get sober on this day, as if in one moment I finally had the wherewithal to make a different choice than I’d been making for so long. It’s that moment of choice that so many people ask about when their loved one is struggling with addiction - what was it for you? How did things finally change? What can I do?
On Matthew Perry, Addiction, and the Stories that Outlive Us
I used to be so afraid of talking about my addiction. For years I'd only disclose it in the confines of recovery meetings, one on one conversations, and if I thought it would help someone struggling. It could have stayed like that. But part of how I got sober was through other people’s stories - even if those people didn’t stay sober themselves.
What Rehab Taught Me About Surviving a Pandemic
Watching life turn upside down has reminded me of another time my world crashed down around me: going to rehab for drug addiction.
Though I’m the first to admit that dumpster fire was entirely my own doing, I can’t help but see some clear parallels between surviving that burn and this one.
Dare I say it, but rehab prepared me for this. And in case it can aid you to, I’d like to share a few parallels I’ve observed.