Substance Use Disorders | Recovery Is Possible
Jeff: Looking back, I think I was looking for a way out of all the pain that led me to violate my morals and use meth. There was one point in time, I actually did overdose. It wasn't intentional, but it happened. And I'm like, "Okay, something's got to change."
Richard: I was just drinking the whole issues away and doing drugs. I was lost. I was lonely. I felt like nobody cared.
Mike: When you got a problem, you can't go around it. You can't pretend it doesn't exist and make a detour. You have to go right back through that problem and find out what you can do to deal with that problem.
Michael: I got arrested. I had a family intervention. My family all got together and told me you really need to get some help.
Richard: I went down to the VA in Long Beach and I told a lady, "I just need somebody to talk to because it's like life is just getting next to me." Lady says, "Do you have a drinking problem?" I'm like, no. And she looked at me like, yeah, right. I saw it on her face. I went through the whole spectrum. I went from nearly homelessness, drugs, alcohol, and here I am today and I wouldn't give up my sobriety for nothing.
Stephen: I'm really proud that I opened up and put down the guard, broke down those walls. It's community. Tap into that community. There's people out here that care for you, that want to help you.
Lisa: Being in that alcohol treatment program helped me to pinpoint those issues and work on those things. When I walked out of that treatment facility, I felt like I had a new outlook on life, a new freedom, and a new happiness.
Michael: Don't be afraid to get the assistance. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.
Jeff: It is possible. I didn't think it was, but I had a little bit of hope and I ran with it and that's all anybody needs.
