- Drugs
- Friends & Family
submitted by: Susanne Johnson
Kyle’s fall into addiction started with the use of alcohol at age 16, followed by drugs at age 18. He used for years until his parents saw the need to intervene. He spoke with his parents about his drug consumption, but action never followed words. His parents finally got him in trouble with the law and ignited his move towards recovery.
He is 32 years old today and very grateful that he was legally pressured to find treatment. He ended up at a very structured place for young men seeking sobriety. He has now been there for five months of his six-month program and feels a big positive shift in his life. The treatment center involves the clients in a lot of activities like races and fun events, and Kyle sees the importance of recovery being a change in lifestyle, not just a temporary detox or separation from drugs and alcohol. He signed up as a volunteer to help with the organization of the Heroes in Recovery 6K run in Atlanta, and his help and the help of his teammates was greatly appreciated.
Kyle tells others, “Keep your faith in God, and keep busy. Keeping busy keeps your mind busy and away from thinking about drugs.”
Kyle attends 12-step meetings every day and sometimes more than once a day. He is working the steps, is currently at step four, and believes in the effectiveness of the program. His family is very supportive of his recovery. Even though they are several hours away, they all drive to events like cookouts or family weekends. They play an active role in Kyle’s recovery. He and his family’s relationship has improved drastically, and he feels they are beginning to trust him again.
He has no concrete plans for his future yet. He finished school but is not sure in which direction he will go. He will finish his program and then return home to his family and completely start his life over with a new job, new friends, new places and new habits. He will change his complete lifestyle.