12 step family would like to share this emotionally gripping testimonial written by a recovering addict about their struggles to stay clean and the importance of a support system for making a recovery. Please keep in mind that the author’s identity has been kept anonymous for the sake of maintaining the basic premise within AA and Narcotics Anonymous of anonymity.
Sobriety: Personal Goal – Shared Mission
I tried to quit drinking so many times I can’t even keep count. I used to go to the library near where I was living and get all kinds of books on daily alanon that claimed they could cure me of my addiction. Short simple titles like Getting Sober and Your Last Drink gave me a false feeling of confidence that I could do it all on my own and it would be quick and painless.
Now I am finally getting the real help I have always needed. It’s my personal goal to stay sober, but I can see clearly that the mission of accomplishing that goal is one that requires a whole team to do successfully. Faith in a higher power is an important part of it, but a sponsor, a councilor… people who have been where I am and know how to get where I want to go to – you can’t pull that out of a book on your own. I’ll never forget, one time I was high reading a self-help book on addiction and I actually used my rolling papers and matchbook as a bookmark to save my place in the chapter right before I passed out!
Stop worrying about how hard is might be, or what might happen after you kick your habits. What you need to know is that the scary journey toward sobriety is one YOU can make in the company of people who care about you as deeply as they do themselves. You will never be cured, life just aint like that… but you can be sober, you can be free of the symptoms that come with your disease and with God’s mercy, you can start to heal the wounds that your history has caused for yourself and those you love. Peace~