- Drugs
Submitted by: Bo Brown
I have been an addict since the age of 13. It first started as fun, trying to fit in and trying to be cool, and I never thought it would lead down the path of addiction. I used all throughout high school and college. I used every drug in the book but my drug of choice was crystal meth.
Once I found crystal meth at 26 years old, it led my life into the brink of disaster. After four years of chronic meth abuse, I found myself in the hospital on suicide watch after an attempt to take my own life.
When I was in the hospital, I came to the conclusion that recovery was the only way out. When I got out of the hospital, I started going to 12-step meetings and started being active in recovery.
I have had my relapses. I have probably had four or five relapses. Crystal meth is one of the most powerful and addictive drugs. A lot of the experience and knowledge I have gained has come from to different 12-step meetings that include people who struggle with different addictions but all are focused on recovery.
Every time that I have relapsed and have come back, the one thing that I felt was missing was my spirituality. Without a doubt that is the one thing that sticks in my mind. I try to go back and figure out what went wrong and what happened it all comes back to my spirituality. Now I pray in the morning and evening and meditate to keep myself in check with my addiction.
Advice I would give to those starting in recovery is to never give up. In the time that I have been in recovery, my life has been full and rewarding. I have done things I never would have done. I have traveled the world, learned to scuba dive, and have hiked through national parks. I absolutely learned to love life. Never give up and keep coming back to recovery!