“As I lay in the ICU, I could see my mom raging in disappointment and agony as she tried to explain the situation to her colleagues. Where was the little boy she used to sing with? The little boy who helped bake cookies for Santa and colored Easter eggs? My life had spiraled out of control.”
‘A guardian angel called 9-1-1 as I convulsed in a coffee shop parking lot. At 18, I’d lost 20 jobs and been arrested 14 times.’: Man 13-years sober after long battle with addiction, ‘We’re not meant to live in darkness’
‘You’re under arrest.’ My HUSBAND called the police on me. I woke up in the back of a cop car.’: Woman gets sober, delivers rainbow baby, ‘I can’t live my best life while drinking’
“I fed my toddler crackers and watched TV because I couldn’t function. I could NOT parent. The ‘’mommy juice’ culture became a slippery slope.”
‘I can’t raise a child. I can’t even take care of myself!’ I had nothing left to live for. Or so I thought.’: Woman recovers from addiction for daughter, ‘All it took was a tiny shimmer of hope’
“Self-medication was the only thing keeping me alive. I sat outside, chain-smoking and chugging a bottle of wine. ’My boyfriend is an addict and I can’t get sober.’ I was never supposed to get pregnant.”
‘Hey, you still need that broom?’ In the same platoon, we kept our relationship a secret. Then, he popped THE question during a Netflix and Chill.’: Marine candidly details marriage journey
“I told myself I wouldn’t get into a relationship after my ex. ‘May I marry your daughter?’ The only thing is…my parents didn’t know we had already gotten married on a whim.”
‘I don’t drink any more than my mommy wine friends.’ It was my reward after a hard day. I felt like I earned it.’: ‘Mommy Wine Culture Survivor’ says ‘sobriety was the greatest gift’
“I was the woman in yoga class joking about sweating out the booze. I was the mom who planned pre-drinks. I was also the businesswoman, completely hungover, giving a presentation in heels.”
‘Mommy deserves a treat.’ Drinking two bottles of wine a night was my norm. I felt like I was failing at life.’: Sober mom shares recovery journey, ‘Let’s show our kids sobriety’
“After I gave birth, family and friends left gifts for me. All alcohol-related. ’Oh, you’re gonna need this.’ I couldn’t keep up with society’s expectations of motherhood.”
‘Dad, I need help.’ I broke down in a fast food parking lot at 8 a.m., drunk from the change I scrounged together. I was taking 40 pills a day.’: Dad in tears walking sober daughter down the aisle
“I called my dad crying and told him the truth. I was living a secret life, raising a 4-year-old. Not once did he scold me or judge me. He came to my rescue.”
‘My mug shot was on the news. ‘I’ve been using drugs and I’m in trouble. I don’t want to live.’ The nurse said, ‘You’re in the right place.’: Woman overcomes addiction, ‘I help people like me’
“I contemplated if I was in love with the pills and white powder he seemed to always have or if I loved him. Any loyalty I had eventually shifted to the drugs.”
‘How can you hurt yourself when you’re pregnant?’ I wasn’t the mother I dreamed of being. I was scared, not excited.’: Woman recovers from self-harm addiction for son, ‘We’re not alone’
“My addiction was the only thing bringing me peace. Keeping it a secret made me feel stronger. I felt like I was going to let my son down before I even had him.”
‘I couldn’t get ‘high enough’ anymore. I went from a meeting to my dealer. Then I almost died.’: Woman recounts sobriety journey, ‘I finally accepted help’
“I remember waking up the next morning ashamed. I panicked. I wasn’t ready to be done using yet.”
