Life after Recovery Is All about Hard Work

 

I thought that my life would be easier after recovery and I thought that all of my problems would be solved, but the reality is that all of my problems were waiting for me to finish rehab so they could slap me in the face all at once. While things aren’t always easy, I know I can live life without drugs and alcohol.

While in addiction, I had so many problems that I couldn’t fix or even deal with. I lost my family’s trust, I had no money, I had legal problems, I lost many job opportunities, I lost friends and, of course, I lost my self-respect and even myself.

During addiction, I couldn’t deal with life and I had to escape, so my only choice was to go to rehab and give that a shot. When I checked into rehab I had nothing. I had just lost my job because I didn’t want to do the work. I took advantage of working from home because of Covid and I ended up messing that job up as I did with everything else. My friends were the ones who were up all night, the ones who were able to score drugs and supply me also. They could care less about being successful, they had no ambitions and no goals, and I became that person who had nothing to look forward to in life.

I remember once we got arrested for being stupid and we ended up spending 5 days in jail in a small cell. We had little space to sleep and it was dirty. I saw myself in a place that was lower than rock bottom.

After that, I went to a Narconon center and started the detox process. After sauna, I felt clean, and I was clean, but I had to do life skill classes and, to be honest, I didn’t understand why. I felt so good and I wanted to leave but my Ethics Officer kept telling me about the importance of these tools. I started studying my books and did the work, but I thought I would never use them in real life.

After completing the Narconon program, I left the center very happy that I actually finished something and that life was beautiful. I was so excited to be outside, but one day when I felt stressed, life started to hit and my problems were back. I started having ups and down like anyone else. There I was, trying to put my life back together after completely destroying it and couldn’t figure things out. I kept reaching out to my Ethics Officer at Narconon and he would always guide me back to my life skills books. I wanted an answer to my problem but I was always referred to the Narconon program materials.

So, I followed my Ethics Officer's advice. When I wasn’t sure about being around certain people, I used the tools I had learned in the program to analyze those persons and discontinue being with them when I found they were bringing me down. In my daily life, I started applying those same tools to guide me out of difficult times and move up at my job and in my personal life. I got angry so many times, but as the program taught me, I kept going forward no matter what I felt.

“I have the ability to confront everything that comes my way, I am in control of my life and I’m in control of my happiness and success.”

I have the ability to confront everything that comes my way, I am in control of my life and I’m in control of my happiness and success. No more blaming something or someone else for my misery. If I put myself in any situation, good or bad, I can take myself out of it. Now I’m able to take responsibility for my actions, and when I make a mistake, I’m not afraid to admit it and learn from it. I look for solutions instead of continuing to talk about the problem. I am way cleaner than before. I make my bed when I first wake up and I take care of my body and what I eat.

I have goals and ambitions now, I am focused on what I want and I work toward it every day. I surround myself with positive and hard-working individuals who help me better myself every day. I am where I am because I used the tools I learned in real life and it’s helping me to advance.

I still see myself quitting sometimes and I try to take the easy way out, but the people around me always encourage me to deal with any situation I face. With that, I feel the strength needed to overcome any obstacles. I have this support because I did something about my addiction. If I were still an addict, I would have never gotten the help I get now.

Life after recovery is not easy, but it has a purpose and a meaning. I still have problems like anyone else, but I find solutions. I still get mad, but I control myself and I don’t do stupid things anymore.

Sobriety is beautiful and having certain tools to use will help you become better and better every day.