AJ’s Story
Having to get sober was never a part of my vision board growing up. I will always remember being in 8th grade and being convinced that not only were sports and my friends the most important things to me in my life, but that I would NEVER drink or smoke because…well it would take away from my performance on the field. Fast forward a little over a decade and I was entering inpatient rehab because drinking and drugs had completely derailed my life.
Now, obviously a lot happened in between there — I went to college as a two-sport athlete and left with an addiction to oxycontin and alcohol. The athletics, friends and family that had been the cornerstone of my life and taken a complete back seat to my addiction. I was given an opportunity at a job that I thought was life changing only to be fired from it due to my addiction. It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom — both physically and emotionally, that I realized I needed help and was fortunate enough to be able to get it.
I went to detox for 7 days
Inpatient rehab for 28 days
I went to intensive outpatient for 8 weeks
Outpatient groups for another 2 years
Therapy 1x/week since
Peer support groups and random drug tests for 3 years
I lived in sober living for 1 year
I was so lucky that I was able to have the help and support from my family throughout this entire process. I was so fortunate to be able to have the insurance to be able to receive this type of help when I needed it most.
My whole life I felt like I was searching for purpose. It wasn’t until I got sober and began to engage with other people with experiences similar to mine that I realized what I was always meant to do: help others who are struggling with addiction. I think one of the toughest parts of getting sober is remaining vigilant in your recovery after you have left the four walls of treatment. It is balancing all of life’s responsibilities and those for your recovery because as we know, without our recovery, the life part gets harder.
For many of us on this road of recovery, the extra care, extra time and extra financial ability to have all these supports are not always there. The mission of Accountable is to be able to provide a low touch, low cost safety net to support individuals in recovery as they move towards the life they always have imagined. I am so grateful to be able to be a part of this with you.
Originally published at https://www.youareaccountable.com on October 14, 2020.
