Let me say this if you are stuck in the depth of addiction; there is help for you. I can say that I first got sober and spent my first nine months of recovery stuck in my home. I was afraid to leave my house, worried I might run into an old buddy, and my daily anxiety was unbelievable. How would I ever bring in a New Year and enjoy what I once lost?

After struggling for nine months and being a dry drunk, I climbed out of my hole and went to Celebrate Recovery. Celebrate Recovery is where I found myself and realized I was not walking this walk alone. For the longest, I believed there was no help. Know there is help, and we want to walk this thing we call recovery with you.

At Celebrate Recovery, I found a place that I call home. I feel welcomed, I found my forever family, and I am loved and supported. I now realize that I am not tied down to a title as an addict. My title at Celebrate Recovery is “my name is Melissa, and I am in recovery for drug addiction and alcoholism, and I struggle with depression and codependency. Do you know how great it feels not to be tied down by a title or walk alone?

If you are still struggling with addiction of any form or any hurt, habit, or hang-up, I recommend you look up Celebrate Recovery; thousands are located all over the United States. Please do not sit another day tied down to the addiction that is taking you away from your family. Your family loves you too much to watch you suffer another day.

Written by: Melissa Pena

Addiction can be genetic but also a learned behavior at home. How was your childhood? Were you in a home where drug use, alcohol abuse, or abuse happened? Addiction is also a disease that destroys everything we encounter. Addiction causes home conflicts, missing work, and even health problems. These drugs today are controlling and life debilitating. Addiction does not just affect the drug abuser, but it affects the whole family. I had become the most heartless, cold, irritable, and unrecognizable addict. What was I thinking or doing with my life? 

Today the word is called recovery. I was ready to regain control over my life. I wanted to be in the right state of mind and health. I was prepared to learn what happened to me as a child and deal with this trauma. Today, my recovery comes first before anything else. I attend Celebrate Recovery, which is a 12-step program that is Christ-centered. I work through the steps, attend step studies, meet with a sponsor, and attend two meetings weekly. I realized I had no healthy coping skills. Today, I have healthy coping skills. The skills I gained were reaching out when I am struggling, journaling, and even sitting with my emotions. Sitting with these feelings has not been easy, but I can say I do not self-medicate anymore. Have you found a program that works for you?  What coping skills do you use? Today, I have control of my life and a family who loves me. 

If you would like to reach out to author, please do so on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/melissalynngary2021

Written by: Melissa Pena