Recovery, in their own words

Sober Stories

Real people, real recovery. Honest accounts of what it was like, what happened, and what life looks like now — shared to remind anyone still struggling that they are not alone.

Huggzy 26 7 / 20 / 2015
Age 26Since 07 / 21 / 2015

Huggzy

Being an Adoptee, I grew up fine and was well-known for being jovial. My first drunk was at 18, and in recent years the only time I felt I was truly happy was when I was drunk. On the outsid...

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Robert Apple 64 1 / 28 / 2014
Age 64

Robert Apple

Well, of course horrible, but it didn't start that way. In the beginning drugs and alcohol made my life better (or so I thought). I was less shy, more articulate, more brave, and less anxiou...

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Audrey J 26 3 / 15 / 2014
Age 26

Audrey J

I would go out and get so trashed and lit, that when I woke up I didn't know where I was and how I got there. I lost days at a time, sometimes.

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Donna Horton Frommeyer 62 11 / 15 / 1980
Age 62Since 11 / 16 / 1980

Donna Horton Frommeyer

I was not respected or trusted by my family, friends or my self. I was totally unreliable, using drugs when I needed to be at my parents 25 wedding anniversary and other important events. I...

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Dena 53 11 / 11 / 1912
Age 53

Dena

I was a miserable mess. Drinking every other day. Every other day because I needed a day to recover from fatigue, depression, vomiting, panic attacks. I could never ever stop at 1 or 2. Alwa...

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Kimberly Garcia 44 12 / 16 / 2009
Age 44Since 12 / 17 / 2009

Kimberly Garcia

I woke up one day, after three decades of drinking, and decided, I am done. I went through terrible cold turkey alcohol detox, skin itching, chills.. but 7 days later I was over it, and over...

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Michael 55 6 / 7 / 2013
Age 55Since 06 / 08 / 2013

Michael

I was in active addiction for 15 years. After my first marriage fell apart, I met a wonderful woman. We got clean and sober together and remained that way until her death in 2012. I again fo...

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John Richards 36 10 / 25 / 2011
Age 36Since 10 / 26 / 2011

John Richards

I was homeless. I had no family, no friends, no nothing but the clothes on my back. My life was completely unmanageable.

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Crystal 38 9 / 21 / 2016
Age 38Since 09 / 22 / 2016

Crystal

I was living in complete misery, lying to people I loved about my addiction, I was losing my morals that I live by. Lost faith in myself, hit rock bottom it was something I couldn't have ima...

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