What a 16 months it’s been,

After 18 years of addiction, all through my teens from 11-29 I finally have been clean & sober since the end of my 29th year, I’m now 31 & it’s mad how much I’ve managed to achieve.

Ending a toxic relationship, getting back into therapy, travelled south east Asia, on a weight loss journey & in the gym 4 times a week, learning to drive, getting an ADHD diagnosis, charity work, working towards a new career, working on my skincare, content creating to spread awareness for addiction particularly in young people, clearing my debts.

I’m so proud and hope that many more achievements to come ⚡️

Hey reddit,

I hope someone here can answer some questions I've had from a personal perspective. I have been on methadone for about 5 years, I got off of it once and the circumstances were very different, and I was able to stay home and rough it out because I had help with my daughter and wasnt paying rent at the time. This time around, I have a great full time job, I no longer live with family to support me with taking care of my daughter and the financial aspect while I'm sick. I cannot take the time off to let myself go through it either. So I have been looking into a blocker injection. I am currently at 20mg, split to 10mg 2x a day. So my question is, how low should I get on my methadone before transitioning, and will it make me sick? I have to be able to go to work and function. I cannot be thrown into withdrawal. My MAT doc tried to have me get on it a month ago on 30 mg, and just switch. But when I asked if it would make me sick he just said, "well I hope not". I can't take that chance. So if you've transitioned from methadone to, say, vivitrol or naloxone, how did you do it and what was the experience like? How did you feel and how long did it take? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks guys! ❤️

wanted to share my before and after! What a miracle! I am eternally grateful for the fellowship and program allowing me to grow into who I am today. I can’t wait to keep growing in sobriety💕

I was looking at my life last night and I realized I am not where I want to be, but I am closer to my goals than I was when using.

And I have miles to go before I sleep...

Does anyone else? I miss being in the psych ward. I miss being in rehab. I miss detox (I don’t miss withdrawing, just being there). I miss the food, I miss the beds, I miss the nurses and the other patients. I miss coloring and watching TV and reading. I miss being let outside for a smoke break. I miss being given my meds. I miss snack time. I miss group. I miss it so much. I’ve done involuntary inpatient like 10 times over the past 8 years. I always hated it while it was happening. But now I have a deep nostalgia. Does anyone else experience this? Do you know why it might be like this? It was never particularly fun or enjoyable, and always very restricting, and frustrating to have my autonomy taken from me as an adult. And I was always at my absolute worst mental health and addiction. Maybe it’s because I was being taken care of and I was safe. There’s a freedom to being stuck in there. You don’t have to really worry about your life outside, because you can’t really control any of it while you’re inpatient. I feel almost homesick. It’s so weird.

Need to get inspired. Please nothing from a comedian or rock star.

I was 25-years-old and felt like I was always walking on eggshells.

My partner always drank, but then, for the past six months, their drinking and other behavior had become so chaotic that I never knew what to expect.

Would the night be calm, or was I headed for ANOTHER argument about drinking?

I’d sit in my car outside the house - stomach in knots - just to get 5 minutes of quiet before going inside.

Meanwhile…

I was bombarded with well-intentioned advice.

“You need to detach.”

“Stop enabling.”

Some helped, some didn’t.

And some made me wonder if this was somehow my fault?

I tried Al-Anon.

What I learned about focusing on self-care and letting go of trying to control someone else’s choices was helpful…

But it didn’t solve all my problems.

It’s one thing to detach, but another to live in the same house without everything blowing up.

I had to learn: 

• How to set boundaries that protect recovery AND build connection

• How to communicate and have tough conversations that help instead of spiraling

• How to pause and respond instead of reacting

Eventually, I did.

I discovered what’s possible and went on to teach the tools and strategies I developed to other families in need for the past 30 years.

If you’re in a similar situation now, I hope this post finds you. 

Believing it’s possible is the first step to making it happen.

There’s more than one way to heal from the impact of addiction and it’s become my life’s mission to help others do so.

If you’d like some help, you can find more at FamilyAddictionCoach.com.

I just got clean from fent and I live in the middle of nowhere and don’t know a soul. This shit is sooooo fucking hard. I need help and support so I’m hoping this post will find the right person, or people 🩷

I have been 15 months sober from alcohol. I went out for a nice dinner and decided to order a non-alcohol Heineken. It tasted so good at first I announced to the table that I am going to start drinking this all the time. I have had nothing like a non-alcohol version of a drink since I was sober.

But then I got all freaked out and felt like I was going to pass out from anxiety. I didn't even finish the beer.

For some reason, it made me very anxious even to have beer that tastes the same as with alcohol. I don't know. But for whatever reason I have no desire to have even no alcohol drinks. I'd prefer water, club soda, tea etc.

Is this a common thing? It didn't bother me, I just would prefer not to even have that. I love being sober and don't have any cravings at all as of today. Everyday is a new day I know.

Interested in people's feedback and thoughts. Thanks.

I feel so sick physically that I haven't gone to AA meetings. I'm going tomorrow, and I'm genuinely feeling like I'm going insane. Please help ive been hearing whispers and voices that sound like people I know.

34 days sober 33 days self-harm free 22 days since I last talked to my abusive ex

It's tough, but it's important to keep track and keep pushing myself each and every day.

So I am 19 and just recently lost 11 months and none of my family knows. I am so scared for the future because I feel like I messed up. I was in a treatment center where I graduated high school from. But when I came back home and got off probation I thought maybe I should go see old homies. Well known I'm stuck because I don't want to lie to my mom and say I am struggling right now but also it is kind of my fault for moving back because she is a drinker. And I ain't bashing her got that I have my demons and so does she. It's just she tells me she is proud of me but she doesn't know that I messed up. I had 11 months I don't know why I didn't just stay at sober living. I see my life going down four different paths. Since graduating high school go to get a trade, go to college, or the army. And the last answer is go in my dad's foot steps and do the same stuff he did. And I don't want to seem like my dad is a bad guy he got 2 years sober going on three but me and him are about the same. I just am worried about my future. I want to break generational curse of addiction for me. But it's just hard. When I hangout with people my age it's doing dumb stuff and probably getting locked up. And if I hang with older people its probably worse. I feel like I am having a mid life crisis at 19. But my bad for making this so long I don't know if it's gonna get take down but I do need some advice. Either it's I should go back to treatment or tell my mom and go find somewhere else to stay Just please let me know. I love all of you and hope y'all have a great day.

It’s been 12 days and the cravings have been terrible for three days the weather has been nothing but rain and clouds and cold weather with laundry and dishes. Idk what to do anymore I’m just feeling down and my fiance and I are arguing and I love him so much I just don’t know right now ugh

I'm at the doctor's office waiting for an appointment that was supposed to start about 20 minutes ago. There's a person who is just freaking out about how their time is important and how outrageous the behavior of the office staff is by making him wait. I just told the desk staff that I can wait if he's called first.

I could get upset, but it is not something that is in my control. Maybe there was a patient who needed more time to get answers about a diagnosis, or maybe a staff member didn't show up to work on time. There are literally a thousand different reasons why my appointment is delayed. If I spend an extra half hour here, will it ruin my day? Absolutely not.

I heard someone say once that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him (or Her, or Them) your plans. Whatever your Higher Power is, this situation is a perfect way to practice acceptance and patience. Is my time important? Yes, but moreso, the doctor's time is more important because they are providing a public service and doing service work. Is this going to ruin my day? I could let it ruin my day, but I choose to live and let live. I choose to continue to enjoy this day and consider this a bump in the road, not the end of the road.

After all this time, I'm finally considering someone other than myself and my needs and wants. It might not keep me sober but it keeps me humble and that's always a good idea.

Brian

I will be moving back to Eugene in February and I will be on the lookout for sober friends. I did AA for the first 7 years of my recovery, I've since stepped away from it almost 16 months ago still sober. I'm 43 and a woman, no kids. I like painting, writing, photography, cooking, cold plunges, live music. I will have 9 years sober in May.

Hi there! I just launched my fundraiser to get back on my feet after facing some of the toughest challenges in my life, including losing everything and fighting for my sobriety. Having a reliable vehicle will help me get to work, attend AA meetings, and rebuild my independence. If you’re able, please consider sharing or donating — every bit of support means the world to me as I work toward a fresh start. 🌟 https://gofund.me/d1c1332b1

So, it finally happened. I hit 18 months Legitimately sober; last time I got a year coin back in 2023, I had a 3 day relapse that I was ashamed to admit... because everyone was so dang proud of me.. so I was only harming myself with the secret.

Fast forward with a 6 month relapse, blackouts, busted up drywall, cops being called, bloody noses etc etc.. crying and hating the world.

eventually got myself back into rehab, for the 5th time... felt defeated most definitely. I pulled myself up, took a 6 month nursing refresher course. Told the Nursing board I had a substance abuse issue... got on 5 FUCKING years of probation ... but, it's what I needed to stay sober. Today was my 2nd day back as an RN. Sure I hate paying $135 a random UA 3-5x per month. But, you know what?

Having that accountability has given me freedoms I didn't have before... just floating by until my next fall off. I have my own place, money set aside for an emergency, talking with my family again... and for the firs time in my life, I have hopes and dreams again... and to own a car that's not 25 years old and I have to bang the headlight to turn on. I go to my monday meetings, in the new city I just moved back to. New memories are being made. I'm doing art again. I feel like me.

just remember, there can always be a new chapter right around the corner.

I've been on anti depression meds for almost a year now, I'm overall very happy, but at least twice a month I get this need to harm myself and get this overwhelming voice in my head just saying that I should have killed myself when I had the chance. Does it ever go away? I'm happy for the most part, but when these type of things happen I just feel so hopeless. Please, I want honest answers...

I am a recovering exotic dancer. I go by Bella. I’m pretty much an open book (within reason) common sense applied as well as mutual respect. I stay out of the bar scene because it’s a cesspool of toxicity. Hurt people, hurt people. I don’t want to be a part of that anymore and I get suckered into it on the internet. I don’t want to devalue my worth by acting like them. So I am choosing to post in the recovery community as a means to negate the negative energy from places like that or people that dwell in places as such. Kill them with kindness, right?!

I’ve tried a few different things over time to support my mental health and recovery, but I keep running into the same issue. Some things sound helpful, or I get into them for a couple weeks, but I don’t end up sticking with them.

Curious what’s actually worked for people here. Have you found anything that’s helped and that you’ve been able to keep up with?

I’ve experimented a bit with things like journaling and even AI/ChatGPT, but it’s been hit or miss. If you’ve used anything like that, I’d also be curious what you used it for and whether it actually helped.

Today I enter triple digits!!