Sobriety and Recovery: Synonymous?
I checked into a residential treatment facility November 3, 2009. I was 56 years old. Drug and alcohol abuse had been my way of life for 17+ years. Depression thrived in this disconnected environment. I’ve been sober for almost three years and in recovery for a bit over a year. To me there’s a big difference. Even I knew I had to first get clean and sober. I was OK with that. It took about three weeks for the polypharmaceuticals to get out of my system. I stayed in treatment for four weeks. It took much longer to clear the cobwebs and cluttered toxicity out of my head. I believe there are short circuits in my brainwaves, and they only fire off every now and then. I believe there are parts of my brain that need to be jumped off like a dead battery because I haven’t been behind the wheel in a while. These are the things I worked on for almost two years. It was not a hop, skip and a jump; it was more like being on a slow boat to China. I had to work up to recovery. Now I’ve arrived at this place where life is good. It’s a place where drugs don’t fit. It’s that simple.
Being clean and sober was not enough. I needed to heal my heart and soul. My vacant longings were for acceptance, kindness and a feeling of belonging.
I’m in recovery.
Share your thoughts with me.
Sidney Austin
Lead Advocate Heroes in Recovery
“Believe in magic and always stay connected.”