There are days I don’t think I’m capable, but I reflect on how far I have come since watching that marathon three years ago. I feel so blessed to be part of this marathon. Life is good. It is not perfect but is much more fulfilling. If you have a dream or goal for yourself, give it your all. Don’t give up, and know that anything is possible. Share your dreams with others because you never know who you are going to inspire.
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It was a long hard process through addiction, denial and problems. Many have lost not only their spiritual condition and their mind, but also all material and worldly things. First we work (of course) to get clean and sober and stay that way. At some point we reach a place, where we would consider ourselves as pretty stable in our sobriety and have to move on. It is time to face it and fix it.
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Addiction is a family disease. If anybody believes differently, they are wrong. Until you have gone through a loved one’s addiction and experienced the havoc it can wreak on your own life, you will not understand the ups and downs that family members go through. You may be sympathetic and supportive of someone affected by addiction in their family, but only people who have “been there” can feel true empathy.
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I have to dig deep to remember what it was like when I was in the early stages of my addiction. First and foremost I felt invincible. Nothing bad would ever happen to me because that happens to other people. I also believed that magically I would just end up successful. I had no cares, no responsibility and I really lived to have a good time. Having a full social calendar was my life along with some work to support my habit. I never wanted to be around my family, felt they did not understand me. I began to depend on my using friends to fill that void. My life started to revolve around these behaviors. My irrational thought process took over from this point on. I lived my life by convincing myself this was a better reality.
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“Joy Returns”
In this chapter my new purpose came to be. I got to work with a fantastic group of people helping those like Andy seek help and find joy again. Being with them and working toward this common goal brought my joy and purpose roaring back. I rose out of the ashes. If I can save one parent from the devastation I suffered, Andy’s life will not be in vain. If I can convince one person to seek help, Andy’s life will not be in vain. I became an activist without even knowing it. I constantly strive to change the way addiction is viewed. Addiction is a disease, proven through science, and needs to be treated as such. I feel true joy again, and I know I have an important job to do. I owe it to Andy.
Continue Reading As the parent of an addict, I can tell you that discovering your child is addicted to drugs can be, and usually is, a devastating and overwhelming experience. You are suddenly thrust into a situation you never expected to be in. You feel like you’re in a dream and all you want to do is help your child. You want to get them into treatment as soon as possible and do everything you can to help them recover.
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