I Have Learned That Sobriety Is an Amazing Thing
I am 34 months sober! I came from a society where partying was the norm. I started drinking alcohol when I was fifteen years old and as time went on, I started dabbling in drugs. I continued drinking and using it as a coping mechanism. I found myself getting deeper and deeper into the darkness. Fifteen years of darkness, four-and-a-half years of just void. It was then that I realized I needed to make a change or lose everything I had. That is when I called Narconon.
I will tell you, it wasn’t the easiest thing for me to do. Going to treatment meant I had to give up the things I really enjoyed—alcohol and drugs.
I learned positiveness through the Ups and Downs Course. Don was there to help me understand what I was going through. He worked with me and what I got out of it was that I needed to quit fighting it and learn to understand and work through it.
When I graduated from the program, I felt such a sense of accomplishment—it felt amazing. I am now able to control my anger. I can sit down and work through situations and conversations without exploding or walking away without addressing the problem. I am able to confront situations and listen to what is really going on and respond accordingly.
My wife planned a trip for the two of us to celebrate my one-year sobriety. This was a test of my ability to abstain from drinking and I passed the test. I didn’t have a single inkling to drink. I was able to enjoy life sober. As a matter of fact, the thought of drinking or using has not popped up.
“Now life is fantastic! It is 150% better. My family finally trusts me….”
If I had had the skills back then that I have attained now, life would have been different for me. But now life is fantastic! It is 150% better. My family finally trusts me and my buddies have the upmost respect for me and what I have attained—sobriety. I feel like I am all in alignment. I feel accomplished. I have a business that is booming. I own semis and trailers that are all paid for.
If you are struggling with addiction, my advice to you is to get help. Sobriety is an everyday thing. Get on the path and go with it.
—Narconon Colorado Graduate: Clint
In October 2018, I was flirting with death every day. Alcohol was devouring me inside and out. I couldn’t control it or hide it anymore, I was filled with guilt and shame. I finally dug a hole deep enough, scared myself and cried for help. Narconon answered those cries.
When I stepped outside from behind my demon, I found that I had been striving for the impossible my whole life, namely, perfection. I tried to do too much too perfectly; I couldn’t live up to expectations. Then the fog cleared and I could see clearly. I didn’t just hear, I listened. I was aware of my thoughts and feelings; my mind was filtering, working. Then I embraced the program and found what I really had been striving for— my authentic self. I wanted to just be me: genuine, true, valid, real, happy in my own skin.
This has been a journey of self-discovery, a re-birth. Alcohol no longer defines me, Narconon awakened my truth, my ethical and moral self. I have learned how to live life with honesty and without having to hide. Narconon saved my marriage and my relationship with my boys, friends, and family. My demon is gone and I have said goodbye to this chapter in my life. Sobriety is taking me home—authentic and whole.
—Narconon Colorado Graduate: Beth
(To preserve privacy, the photo does not show an actual Narconon student or graduate.)
