A Life Reclaimed: My Recovery Journey

Addiction: A Misunderstood Struggle

Some people believe addiction is a choice. They think an addict wants to use drugs every day, and that if they really wanted to stop, they could. I used to hear that a lot. But for me, addiction wasn’t a choice—it was a trap I couldn’t escape on my own.

I remember waking up in the ICU, tubes down my throat, confused and scared. “What happened?” I asked the doctors.
“You overdosed, and almost died,” they said.

I guess you could say I’m lucky to be alive.

The Turning Point: From Consequences to Hope

Surviving the overdose was just the beginning. I also had to face serious legal consequences because of the choices I made while I was using, standing before a judge who could have sent me away for many years. I knew deep down I wanted to stop using drugs, but I didn’t yet know how to live without them.

This isn’t just my story. It’s the story of hundreds of thousands of people in our community and across the country. Whether you believe addiction is a “choice” or a “disease,” one thing is true: recovery is possible.

That judge gave me a second chance—not once, but twice—through treatment. The first time, I relapsed within an hour of finishing a 30-day program. I had sworn to my family I would never use again, but I wasn’t ready.

The second time, something shifted. I saw someone I had been in treatment with six months earlier—still clean. Seeing him gave me hope for the first time. I realized I could do it too.

Life After Treatment: Learning to Live Again

When I left treatment, I felt different. I felt that recovery was possible—even though I was 22, a convicted felon, a high school dropout, and had no one to provide a positive reference. I had no clue how to be an adult, let alone navigate life clean.

Life after treatment wasn’t easy. The transitional house I lived in required a job and rent within 30 days—or I would have to leave. That meant going back into an environment where I could easily relapse. I applied everywhere, faced rejection after rejection, but I kept trying.

When I finally got a job through a temp service, my great-grandma died the next day. I chose to go to work, because my life—my recovery—was on the line.

Finding Mentorship and Setting Goals

Months later, I realized I wanted more than just a minimum wage job. I wanted a life: a family, a career, a future. I got connected to a community program that introduced me to positive influences. A mentor sat me down and asked, “Eric, what are your goals?”

I had never thought about my own goals before. No one had ever asked me that. Together, we set small goals: get my GED, open a bank account, get health insurance. Then, we made a plan—and took action.

I not only achieved those goals, but I also set bigger ones: I wanted to become a drug counselor and give back to others struggling like me.

A Life Transformed

Over the years, that path took me places I never imagined. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, became a counselor, a father, and a business owner. I’m living a life far better than the one I had in active addiction.

Recovery is possible—but no one does it alone. I’ve had mentors, friends, and people who created opportunities for me. All I had to do was put in the footwork.

A Call to Action

My challenge to you is this: how can you create opportunities for individuals battling addiction? For those who need a second chance? For those desperately trying to find a new way to live? A new life is possible, let’s help those wanting to make that their reality.