- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Faith
submitted by: Susanne Johnson
Brandon has worked at a halfway house for almost a year now. He is 28 years old and reached a year of continuous sobriety in October 2015. He had his first drink of alcohol around the age of 14 and later added opiates to the substances he used. He started out of curiosity but was hooked right away. There is a long history of addiction and alcoholism on one side of his family, and he believes this may have given him a genetic predisposition. Fortunately most of his family is in recovery as well.
The transitional program he works for today is faith-based and incorporates the 12 steps. Brandon knows that he is loved and appreciated. He has learned to accept himself and believe in himself. Sometimes he still struggles with selfishness, but he now has lots of tools and resources that help him move forward.
Brandon is currently enrolled in school for business management. He has a five-year plan to finish his degree, live a stable recovery and go back to his small-town home. He calls himself a farm boy, and his family has had a large cattle operation for several generations. He has a very good relationship with his family again, although restoring this relationship did not happen overnight.
Brandon likes to tell newcomers to recovery, “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.” He also points out that people need to know that they are not alone.