- Alcohol
- Drugs
by Jordan Young, Heroes in Recovery lead advocate
When people think of a heroic act, they usually think about the person who stopped a bank from being robbed or saved a baby from a burning building. Those things are great, but heroic acts can also be things that are much simpler. A heroic act to a recovering addict can be the profound words spoken by another person in recovery during a meeting, or driving a person whose name you don’t know around town to get his spare keys after he locked the first set in his car. Pam Reese is someone I instantly think about when I hear the term, “Hero in Recovery,” especially since she has done both of the above acts for me…
What were the struggles that led you to seek a change?
My struggles with addiction started pretty early in my use of drugs and alcohol. Very quickly, I started abusing whatever I could that would make me not have to feel anything any longer. The progression of my addiction led me to a moment when I was standing on a friend’s balcony with feelings of extreme paranoia, which led me to believe someone was climbing up the balcony towards me. I ran inside to the bathroom and when I turned around I could not see my image in the mirror. At that moment, I realized I was going to die.
What steps did you take to change?
When I realized I was going to die, I went to my dad for help. I told him I was in trouble with drugs and alcohol. Once again, he helped me. He drove me to a treatment program, and I stayed there for thirty days. I was scared to death of going into a treatment facility, but after I had been there a while, I was scared to death to leave. That treatment program saved my life, but I knew that was only the beginning of a life free of drugs and alcohol. I realized then that I was never going to have the walk that path alone again.
What have you done to keep yourself from falling back into that life?
I surround myself with people who are in some type of recovery. It helps keep me grounded, and I never forget where my addiction has taken me.
What is the single most important thing that helps keep you sober today?
Wow, that is a tough question! If I had to pick one single thing, I would have to say it is sharing my story and making myself available to people whenever they feel the need to reach out.
What advice would you give to someone struggling with an addiction?
The best advice I would give to someone struggling with an addiction would be to reach out and ask for help. Never give up hope because there are people in this world who do understand how hard that first call for help is to make.