Success Stories of Sobriety

I grew up in a small town. My parents have been married for over 40 years. There are seven of us in the family: five boys and two girls. I tried alcohol for the first time when I was five. My aunt thought it would be fun and nice to let me taste it. I ran with the glass to my parents. They wouldn’t let me talk to her again after that.

The disease of addiction has been a part of my life since the day I was born, taking my life away from me little by little. My father was a drug addict, which prevented him from taking part in my upbringing. I was raised by my mother, who did everything she could for me: she worked two jobs to provide for us and taught me to be honest, good, and respect others.

My addiction manifested long before I got involved with either alcohol or drugs. Looking back, I can see that most of my childhood decisions had been leading me on a path to self-destruction over which I was destined to lose control one day. Whenever I found something that made me feel good, I always wanted more. There was no pleasure for me in moderation.