“I HAD to stop before I destroyed the humans who loved me through every single moment of my life.”
‘I could forget I was dumpy and self-conscious. I could forget I was ME. THAT girl wasn’t afraid.’: Mom shares emotional journey to sobriety
‘You don’t need any more.’ Wine always wins.’: Sober mom reminds us ‘addiction is not a moral failing’
“The neighbors notice me stumbling to my refrigerator, chugging from the bottle of wine by the sliver of light that sneaks into the room. They mutter, ‘What a shame.’ They watch me do this three times a night until the bottle is dry.”
‘How do I know if I’m an alcoholic?’ I got blackout drunk and kissed a total stranger.’: Woman thanks husband for supporting her sobriety journey
“I had a bad concussion, a sprained neck, a separated shoulder, and a few burns and bruises. I was alive. No one knew the truth. I was invincible, and I kept drinking.”
‘I will NEVER treat my kids the way my parents treated me.’ I was dead serious. The cycle would end with me.’: Childhood abuse survivor vows to be a good mom to son with autism
“Parenting a child like my son requires a mother who has patience, unwavering support, and the resiliency to fight through the tough days. Because of my father… I am that mother.”
I Grew Up With Crippling Anxiety, And I Didn’t Know It
“I never made it to my second day of high school. My fear of leaving the house quickly grew within me. I always thought the world revolved around drinking, but then I realized, I made my world revolve around it.”
‘What do you do for love? Have a baby! I was in the middle of drug deals, poisoning myself. It was a wake-up call.’: Woman details sobriety journey, ‘Obstacles gave me opportunities’
“I was taught, if you do what you’re supposed to and look how you’re supposed to look, you can and ‘deserve’ to drink, smoke, and vandalize when people aren’t looking.”
‘I have a problem! This is serious and I can’t stop.’ My organs felt like heavy rocks in my body. I knew my time was coming.’: Woman shares sobriety journey, ‘I’m hopeful for a new way of life’
“I was on my way to a swollen liver. I had to stop drinking or I would die. I weaned myself into sobriety with boxed red wine. I was just starting to scratch the surface.”
‘I broke out with an allergic reaction in HANDCUFFS. I spent all night lying in jail, completely defeated.’: Mom of 8 battles alcoholism, ‘I try to have unconditional love for myself’’
“I played the martyr, feeling sorry for myself raising these babies alone, instead of admitting I needed help. I was a total failure of a mom.”
‘Girls like her don’t come back from this.’ I left home when I was 15. I found my oblivion in the form of a needle. I always wanted MORE.’: Recovered addict shares sobriety journey, ‘I am FREE’
“I took my first drink when I was about 14 years old. For the first time, I felt okay. I needed more. On my fifteenth birthday, I took my first hit of acid. The probation officer told my parents, ‘She’ll be dead in a few years.’ My bottom was near.”
‘Why did you quit?’ I didn’t need to hit rock bottom. I was ‘functional’ but I went to the liquor store every night. I KNEW I needed a reset.’: Mom shares sobriety journey, ‘I live with clarity’
“No one ever said a thing about my drinking, even those closest to me. That’s the funny thing about alcohol. You can be silently dying inside but the outside world has no idea.”
