Change is Possible
“My health has definitely gotten better. I still have an injury: I manage it with some medication and other things but not alcohol… I have a son and we have a great relationship. Really that’s my priority, being a good mom to him, and a good example. I’m more positive, I am more creative, I’m happier. I have peace and contentment that I didn’t have. [Recovery] absolutely has changed my life.”
“When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, I was able to stay sober and be there for her. I have a home – a humble home, nothing fancy – but I make my mortgage payments. I have a car. Last week, I went to get my dad from the nursing home where he lives, and I took him for a drive. I never would’ve been able to do that before. I can be a part of society and get up and come to a job that I absolutely love. I’ve met the most amazing, intelligent, hilarious, fun people by getting sober. I also met my husband through the recovery community, and we got married last year.”
“…when one of my grandchildren needs a drive, it doesn’t matter what time of the day, I can say yes every single time. I never have to decline an invitation to anything because I’m worried about what kind of condition I’m going to be in. I feel healthier. I feel like I look after myself better. The focus is more on good health. I do feel proud of myself that I don’t drink.”
“Now I get to be thoughtful, quiet, kind. I get to be someone who has a process in my life rather than the show. Sobriety is really liberating. It really does free me from the guilt of my substance abuse. It really lightens the burden so much. My life is so much simpler now that I don’t drink.”
“I just got full-time hours [at work]. I’m hoping to get a promotion. I have 47 days clean today… My self-confidence has grown so that definitely helps – I think I’m worth more than I did before, and that helps me say no [to substance use] now.”
“I attend a lot of programs. I go every week and I speak to somebody. I get stronger and feel better, and all that reflects on my ability to help [my son] navigate through [his addiction]. I feel stronger and not weak. I have the skills to keep us both sober.”
“I ended up making amends with a couple people that I had been on bad terms with because of my addiction which was nice. I feel like I’m different. I was a very timid and scared person. I was agoraphobic for a long time, and I didn’t leave my house. Now I find I’m a lot more social and approachable.”
“I tried meditation. I tried getting manicures. Just different self-care things that I’ve never tried before. I needed to get in the right headspace for my children. After the two years I was like, I wanna go back to school. I wanna find a different way to help. This time I wanted to help the youth before they became troubled like I was. If I would’ve had somebody in grade 9 to help me through that – someone to say, “this person is struggling, maybe I can help her.”
“So I went back to school, and I took a two-year program there, and my placement was at Sophia Recovery. It was a social services community worker program…It’s given me a new light or perspective of how recovery can work for different people. There’s not just one linear path – there are multiple paths to take, and different ways to do it… It’s hard, and it’s scary, and it might take a few times – but it’s worth it. In the end, living a sober life is actually more fun than living high all the time.”
“Just recently I got my license. I have a relationship I’ve been in for three years. That’s the longest I’ve been in a relationship, and honestly, it’s the best. It’s the most healthy relationship I’ve been in. I go places. All these things that I wouldn’t have even thought of doing [before]. My kids are amazing.”
“Walking into these doors [at SRC] every day – it’s not like walking into work. It’s just walking into a home to me. Every day is a new experience. I love it here. Back when I was a PSW, I just wanted to help people. I still ended up being where I wanted to be.”
“I’m not hung over all the time. I do have a child with extraordinary needs, and I know now if she needs medical care, I could take her to the hospital. Before there was no way I could’ve ever taken her to the hospital if there was anything wrong with her.”
“There’s a lot of positive things, and a lot of negative things too. From a positive perspective, I am aware of what I’m doing all the time. I can do whatever needs to happen. But on the negative side your voice is still loud. You’re still trying to figure out new ways to cope, new ways to ground yourself, new ways to distract yourself.”
“I’m still fairly new to this, but I do know that there’s been a definite shift in looking for ways to cope with things rather than drinking it away. I’m trying to figure it out and learn how to deal with it in a different way… I feel better. My stomach feels better. I was having stomach issues, gastritis, which is normal for people who drink too much. That seems to have resolved itself. I feel clearer, not as tired.”
“Other people’s ideas, their thoughts, their experiences – that is such a greater power than me. If I go down to the ocean with the huge waves – I can’t stop that. There’s many things I can’t control, and having an addiction is one of them. I’ve accepted that, and weirdly I’m almost grateful for that. I’ve really grown to appreciate being sober and living authentically.”
“To any woman who has thought there is no way out of addiction: it’s not just you. It’s your family, friends, our whole world, to a degree. Addiction impacts a wide circle in any community. There is HOPE! In Saint John, St. Stephen, Quispamsis… To every woman who has discovered a new way to become well through relationships made with Sophia Recovery Centre, reach out to others-you can give back to Sophia in ways you may not know right now. As Arleen and I said from the beginning, if one woman gets well, it’s worth the risk! And 16 years later, the dream is reality, and it takes a village!”