Hi, my name is Adina and I am a person in addiction recovery. I have been drug and alcohol free for close to 8 months. As a result of my recovery, I not only feel good but I look good too (check out my photo). I know some people may think that 8 months clean is not a long time, but after reading my story, hopefully you will understand why I am so excited.
When I came into recovery, I had an open court case, restitution to pay, and a pending felony charge. After only 1 week in treatment/recovery, I began to understand the 12-step phrase “my life had become unmanageable.” It was this revelation that helped me come to grips with the fact that it was my self-will that caused all my problems, and not the people, places, and things that I had blamed.
I had experienced recovery before; in a faith-based program. And after 2 years I relapsed – started drinking and ended up in jail. On December 23, 2008, I made a decision to surrender my life to the rules and regulations of the treatment program I entered and to the principles of the 12-step program that I became a member of. I refer to this as “being in recovery.” Since this time, my life has not been perfect but it has definitely been less destructive. I see recovery as an “uphill journey.” Just like exercise builds muscle, my journey builds character. I do not believe for one moment that I am “recovered” nor do I believe I have “arrived,” but I do believe that if I keep doing what I am doing, I can stay drug and alcohol free one day at a time.
Early in recovery I began to learn to trust in God. Trusting in God and living my life a day at a time has helped me overcome the pain of my past and the fear of my future. Being in recovery has also provided me with the courage to pursue a solid relationship with God. I do this by praying regularly and attending church. As a child, I attended church with my family. As an adult who was caught in the grip of addiction, I abandoned church. But now I go to church every Sunday and I love it. What I have learned the most as a result of my recovery and church attendance is that during the time in my life when I stopped loving me, God still loved me. I am clean from drugs, firm in my recovery, and active in my church because of God’s love for me. God has given me a gift by sparing my life and I am showing him how much I appreciate his gift by remaining drug free and reaching out to help others.
Because of my recovery, I was able to adhere to the conditions placed on me by the courts regarding my pending felony. In other words, I paid my restitution. As a result, my charge was dismissed and I have no felony conviction on my record. God is an awesome God.
In April 2009, I completed my treatment program. I now have 2 women roommates who are both in recovery. We work hard at developing healthy and meaningful relationships with one another because we understand how important it is to our recovery. I did not have a lot of healthy relationships with women during the time that I was actively using drugs, but now I understand how important they are.
Just recently I completed a very intensive training program for women. I now have some employment skills that will help me secure a meaningful job. I am excited about the blessings that I have received in the short time that I have been in recovery.
In closing, I want to report that while in the faith-based treatment program I referenced earlier, I had a close friend who relapsed. Six months after she relapsed she was found dead. This was truly a wakeup call for me. I understand that what happened to her could have easily happened to me. Again, I want to say how grateful I am that God spared my life. I realize that in one lifetime, God has allowed me two chances to live. For this, I am truly grateful.
