Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

My name is Michael C and I am a grateful recovering alcoholic and a drug addict. It is interesting that we use the terms alcoholic and drug addict when they are really the same. My sobriety date is May 1, 2006 and I just celebrated 9 months of sobriety. In the Doctor’s Opinion written by Dr. Silkworth in the Big Book on Page xxviii it says that ” These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all.” This means to me any substance which changes my mood.  Since leaving treatment at Lakeview I have had to readjust to everyday life and make it a life of recovery. i have attended AA meetings every single day since May 1 and have found my sponsor through these meetings. i have worked all 12 steps and continue working steps 10, 11 and 12 on a daily basis. Life is abecoming more manageable for me now and more enjoyable. I have a conscious contact with my Higher Power and a wonderful network of friends in the Program and we all walk this path together. i have gained the trust of my family back and i have received 2 promotions at work. i have said this before and will say it again. My experience at Lakeview saved my life. I will write more updates at a later time.

Thank You!!!!!

Bookmark to:

It’s been quite a change, going from drunk daily in NYC to living sober in small town Indiana. Two months ago I was a complete wreck; feeling hopeless, demoralized, depressed and trapped. I could not have imagined that reaching out for help and admitting powerlessness could have such a liberating effect on my life. I’m not saying everything is suddenly a bed of roses. I’ve got a veritable grab bag of stressors to choose from if I feel like it. It’s the usual stuff that most addicts find themselves saddled with when they get sober. The difference now is, instead of sticking my head in the sand and trying to drink it away, I find that it is possible to take it one day at a time and just do what I can for that day. Because, really, what else can one do?

So I’ll just relate a few good things that have happened. Let’s see… I’ve been meaning to get a driver’s license for about, oh, 18 years. I now have one. Hello!?! I asked someone to be my sponsor and it didn’t even hurt. He just said, “Sure.” I told a joke last night, sober, and people still laughed. Amazing! I actually look forward to going to meetings (I was pretty good at listening to drunk drunks but listening to sober drunks is much easier and much more rewarding). I go to bed pleasantly tired and wake up refreshed. It’s a new experience that I haven’t entirely gotten used to yet. I feel optimistic about the future even though there are some obstacles to be navigated. It’s nice to be able to look people in the eye and not feel like I am always hiding something. I even feel like I am starting to learn how to pray again. A few “test prayers” have been answered and I don’t know any other way to explain that.

So that’s how it’s going in this neck of the woods. I think about the people I met at the beginning of this journey down in Florida and I wonder how ya’ll are doing. Anybody out there? Don’t be shy.

Sobriety is Good,
Ray R

Bookmark to:

I went to Lakeview in February I left my house on Valentine’s day. I was a miserable person. Until then every waking moment of my life was consumed with drugs and alcohol. When I got to Lakeview it had been a whole 24 Hours clean. I already had the shakes and I was nervous on top of that. I will never forget being waken up at 5:30 am after my first little sleep in days to go do blood work. I sat in the hall waiting for my turn. There in that hall I swear I met an angel. Another patient who took it upon herself to be my new friend. She introduced me to everyone showed me around and helped me get settled. I only stayed two weeks but those two weeks helped so much. My therapist was awesome and so was the entire staff. Now I am home and I am a much different happy person.

Bookmark to:

I would like to thank all the staff at Lakeview. When I came here, I honestly thought my life was over. I thought I didn’t have a chance to recover. I didn’t understand how anything could make people do the things we did for drugs. I thought I was the only one who did things wrong. Now I know I’m not alone. And there’s not a cure, but there is a better way.

The staff and community have given me self-esteem and self respect back. You’ve taught me how to become a responsible adult tyhat people will look up to. I’m learning to live so I can live to learn. I’m learning tools to keep me on the right path, and I believe in myself now. I can look in the mirror and love the person who is looking back. I’ve learned so much because fo all of you. There are no words to express the gratitude in my heart. You have literally given me my life back. Thank yoou so much. I only hope to make all of you proud.

Karen L.

Bookmark to: