- Alcohol
- Faith
submitted by: Susanne Johnson
Melba never did drugs, but she had a problem with alcohol. She started at about 18 years old and at age 20 it got really bad. She considered herself a very functional alcoholic during most of her addiction. She always kept a good job, but once she started to wake up in the morning and start out the day with a drink, she knew that something had to change and that she developed a real problem.
Her entire life revolved around her drinking. Looking back today she remembers that she would constantly think about drinking and never go anywhere where drinking would not be involved. It completely took over her life and she didn’t realize it for a long time. Melba tried multiple times to stop on her own, but the success was never of any duration. She even went to a detox program, but just a week of being home again and she was back at the bottle. She realized that she couldn’t do it on her own and reached out for help. She found the help she needed in a six month program near Atlanta, where she is currently situated.
“It is something you can’t do alone,” she says. “You have to admit it not only to yourself, but also to others. And once you admit this, you have to be willing to receive the help that is offered to you.” Melba highlights the need to be open-minded and receive the help as it is suggested and not to demand it in a way someone would like to have it.
Melba is a single mother of a five year old daughter, who she could take with her to this women’s program. Her daughter is still young and doesn’t really understand yet what is happening with her mother. Melba’s family is also very supportive and she is very proud today that she became such a positive person, even with all the things she has been through.
She describes her problem to trust her higher power and not to try to control everything as her biggest struggle in her recovery. At times, she still feels the need to plan everything out and she realizes today that this is not how life works. Prayer and meetings help her to overcome this struggle. She attends 3 to 4 12-step meetings a week.
Melba began her degree in psychology two years ago and if she finishes her program and gains enough stability in her own recovery, she would love to have a career in social work. Since she feels very connected to children, she wants to make this part of her profession and would love to help other people with substance use disorders and their children to start a new life.
The biggest positive change in her life since she is in recovery is the fact that her faith is coming back. She wants to tell people to trust that God is there and God will help them to get on the right path.