Acceptance Recovery Center gives recovery a necessary voice in the Athens community. Storytelling helps us spread awareness about addiction. Recovery is possible, and ARC helps guide clients toward the path to a better life. We are passionate about helping people in need of support. Everyday, we strive to help break the cycle of addiction. At ARC, we use our voice to tell our story, to end stigma, to change the world. Hear from our alumni and current residents about their road to recovery.
“Many people went into molding and shaping me into the man I have become. They all forced me to be better, and those are my networks and who I will take with me daily to stay connected and strong in my recovery.”
HEAR FROM OUR FIRST GRADUATE
My name is Herman. I was born in Atlanta, Ga on August 3rd,1966. My family consists of 3 brothers, 1 sister and my mom and dad. I grew up in Atlanta most of my life and moved to the mountains in 1980. Growing up in my family was alright, I had a great childhood, but my parents were very strict. My parents divorced in 1985, and even as a grown man, I didn’t take it very well. I was heartbroken. I grew up in a wealthy home, feeling safe and secure. My mom and dad drank everyday and my mom smoked marijuana. My brother smoked marijuana and my sister also drank occasionally. My family’s substance use got me to think that drinking and smoking marijuana was okay to do. As a child I remember being 14 years old and my brother asked me if I wanted to smoke some pot with him. At first I said no, but he kept on nagging me and he wasn’t going to leave me alone until I did, so I did! Shortly after smoking pot with my brother he introduced me to crack and I smoked it at age 14/15. My addiction started after smoking crack and led me through a downward spiral.
As a teenager, I mostly kept to myself but I did have a few friends that I hung out with that didn’t use drugs. In school I did pretty well until I started doing drugs and ended up dropping out in the 8th grade. Doing drugs as a teenager affected my life negatively. My mom and I started drinking and smoking pot together, I was isolated from my friends and I wasn’t going to school. As a teenager I saw myself as pretty normal and active, looking back I think I could have done better as a normal teenager doing things like going to school. I did want to go to college, but my addiction got in the way.
Going into my adulthood I was in a serious relationship for 23 years but never got married and we didn’t have kids. I went to prison and she left me. I had a few friends that were in my life on a daily basis but they also used drugs. I didn’t really have any friends that were not using. Today, being clean, I don’t really have any friends, I have family!
I currently am employed and have been at Marti’s for almost a year. Before then I was never able to keep a job because of my addiction and drinking.
From 14 years old up until 15 months ago I was in active addiction. During that time I did a lot of things I never thought I would never do and I would have never approved of like stealing and going to prison. My family was hurt and disappointed by the choices I made. The last time I used I was in Athens strung out, no money, had to move out of the apartment I was in and I moved into a tent for 3 months before I came to ARC. Since I have been at ARC I have not relapsed and looking back on my substance use I can’t believe I did all the things I’ve done.
A relapse to me means going out and using or drinking. I do fear everyday that I will relapse. I don’t think that I would get away with drinking or using because it may lead me down an even worse path than the one I’ve already walked. Being abstinent from drugs and alcohol while being at ARC has made me realize that I needed to change my life for the better. My motivation every day is knowing that today I am a better man and I can keep a job and do it well. I’ve seenchanges in my life with work, I can keep a job, family, I am in their good graces, my friends and family, I feel better physically and I sleep better, I think clearly and I think before I act, I have a higher power that I am connected to, and I have a positive outlook on life.
I had to change my life completely in order to keep what I got while at ARC. By doing that my life has made a positive change and I am actually able to look at myself in the mirror and accept who I am today. I think that therapy, treatment, and recovery go together like peas and carrots! My goals in recovery are to stay clean, keep going to meetings, stay in the literature and work the steps with my sponsor. The tools I have learned are going to work, stay away from high risk situations, being accountable, being on time and I use these main tools as rules for my life recovery. If I see myself heading towards a relapse I will call my sponsor and get to a meeting. I am accountable to my sponsor, Brandy, and ARC and I want them to see me succeed in life and also to show myself that I can do it.
Everyday I play a scenario in my head about what would happen if I relapsed. What would I do? First I would call my sponsor and Brandy. Then to stay safe, I would get to a meeting. I play this tape all the way through to the end and know that I have took to use if I relapse or are in a high risk situation. I am thankful to ARC for showing me a new way to live.
Herman O.
