Growing up, society taught me that I should not disclose that I am an alcoholic or an addict – that my addiction is something I should be ashamed of. I heard this message every time someone described another person’s behavior to be that of a “crackhead,” every time someone talked about what a “drunk” someone was or called them a “junkie,” and every time politicians on TV talked about the War on Drugs and promised every addict would be locked away in prisons for life.
I believed in this stigma for most of my life. I thought, as many people still do, that alcoholics were homeless, lazy people, living under bridges drinking their liquor from a bottle in a paper bag. I believed drug addicts were filthy criminals who only knew how to lie, cheat and steal. I believed these things until I became one myself…
It’s because of this stigma that I refused to acknowledge I was sick. I spent the next decade of my life trying to control something that was uncontrollable.
I always smile when someone tells me I don’t “look like an addict.” Not because I blame them for thinking this way, but because who they see in front of them today is a far cry from the person I was in active addiction. When I was sick, I was unrecognizable.
The reality is, I look exactly as an addict does. We are your neighbor, doctor, teacher, co-worker, caretaker and child. Addiction knows no boundaries. If society wants to paint an honest picture of what an addict looks like, maybe they could start with me.
Here is what I can tell you about my life. I grew up in a loving family, with successful parents and a happy childhood. I never wanted for anything. There wasn’t any abuse or trauma that I could blame my addiction on. There was no neglect, poverty, or addiction in my home.
Believe me, I have searched my life with a fine-tooth comb, for some pivotal moment that changed everything, and all I can tell you is that the first time I picked up a drink I knew I wanted more. And not like “Hey that was fun. I think I will do that again sometime” kind of way, but more like, “I want more. More! Give me MORE!” kind of way.
It’s important that I share this piece of my story with others – that I acknowledge the lack of chaos in my upbringing. Many times, society wants to blame the parents. My parents had absolutely nothing to do with my addiction, but I can tell you their unwavering love and support have had a tremendous impact on my recovery.
I was just a normal teenager, seeking acceptance from my peers and wanting to grow up too fast. Just a normal teenager experimenting with friends. That experimentation, though harmless at first, lead to full-blown addiction by my mid 20’s. That little girl, with all her hopes and dreams, disappeared.
I did some deplorable things in the name of my addiction. I abandoned my family, I was violent and spewed hateful words, and I often times put my addiction before my own daughter’s welfare. I lied, I manipulated, I self-harmed. And at the end of my active addiction, I was reported a missing person. Poof!
As sure as I am sitting here writing this, I can tell you that I didn’t grow up and suddenly announce I wanted to be a professional alcoholic on Career Day. This was learned behavior by a person with the disease of addiction – a sick person, not a bad one.
That does not in any way excuse my behavior. It has taken years for me to learn to forgive myself for the damage I caused when I was drinking. Today, I’ve learned to accept that I am not that woman anymore. There are times when it seems like a different life altogether.
I spent so many years trying to “figure out my addiction.” I tried to dissect my life to find some moment in time that turned everything upside down, that made me act the way I did. Something that made sense of the chaos I had created. Always telling myself I couldn’t possibly be an addict, until the day my disease almost left my daughter without her mother, and I couldn’t hide from it anymore.
When we are broken, we become willing to change – and I was broken.
Thankfully, I had recovering women in my life who had been waiting for me to wake up and choose recovery. They took me under their wings, they held me up when I couldn’t stand on my own and they taught me how to live. They taught me how to take care of myself, how to be honest and what it means to have integrity. They taught me how to be a good mother, to set boundaries and the importance of healthy boundaries. These women have never left my side yet, and I am forever grateful to them.
One of the most important things they taught me was to carry the message to the still suffering addict, and I have been doing my best to honor this commitment throughout my journey. I take my story into women’s prisons, treatment centers and into my community.
I choose to recover out loud because I firmly believe no addict should ever have to suffer in silence, that no addict should ever have to die from this disease and that there is nothing comparable to the magic that happens when one addict helps another addict find a new way of life.
My name is Vanessa, and I am a woman in long-term recovery. What that means is that I have not had a drink or prescription drug since October 16th, 2014, and I pray that I never forget the despair I felt at the end of my active addiction.
Every morning, before my feet hit the floor, I make a commitment to myself to stay sober for another 24 hours, and with that one simple task, a beautiful life was created.
We do recover.
Xoxo,
Vanessa D.
(My friends call me V ☺️)
Love you Ness! Beautifully written
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Thank you! Love you 😘
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Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing your story!
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Thank you for reading!
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Reblogged this on Art by Rob Goldstein and commented:
Meet Free to Be V
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Well spoken and written and so important indeed to realise that any of us could be in trouble with something they dare not talk about.
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Thank you, Paula!
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This is absolutely gut-wrenching yet told with such honesty and courage. There is no blame…no “passing the buck,” no “woe is me.”
I cheer for your continued recovery and hope this post reaches those who are walking the same path. If it has a positive impact on just one person, it will truly be a gift.
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Thank you so much!
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You’re very welcome.
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Thank you for your vulnerability!
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Thank you for reading!
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A beautifully-told personal story that gives no excuses. Your candour, determination and His guidance have seen you thus far and will continue to lead you on.
Thanks for following my blog.
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Thank you so much!
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The pleasure is very much also mine – reading words that are very genuine that others, especially the type always looking for excuses, tend to make if in same situation.
Regards,
TOLA.
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Thanks for sharing your story. So glad you found your way to recovery. So many don’t. Keep doing what you’re doing, and get another day.
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Thank you so much!
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You have given the perfect name for this post – breaking the stigma. I know other addicts in recovery with a very similar story to yours. No identifiable trigger, event or catastrophe. Just an instant,unquenchable and overwhelming ‘MUST have more-ness’ that takes over life. Until – there is no further to sink except into nothingness. And somehow, somewhere, something kicks in to stir up the will to survive, the will to kick the habit, to get and stay clean. I honour and respect you for your honesty and willingness to share your story.
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Thank you so much! My life changed the moment I started to recover out loud! The shame I felt slowly dissipated and I have learned to forgive myself for the things I did when I was sick. You described it perfectly when you said it was an “instant, unquenchable and overwhelming “MUST have more-ness.” Yes! It really was!
Thank you for the follow! I look forward to reading more of your work!
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🙂
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Awesome to have you on our side!
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Thank you! Feels good to be here! 😁
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Thank you so much for finding me. (My name is Vanessa too, by the way… I blog as Autumn Delaney). I too too found support from several addicts, recovering addicts as well as parents of addicts who were supporting and even abling their child’s addiction, as well as those who were practicing “tough love”. But every day I saw horrible stories of people losing their children to heroin overdoses. Kids losing their mothers or fathers to addiction… I found my strength through several FB addiction support groups I belong to. My biggest fear was always my son OD’ing and I always told him tht and he’d always say “don’t worry mom. I’m careful and I know what I’m doing”. Until one day he didn’t and he overdosed. But I identify with how you said you did awful things because of your addiction and to support your addiction. I did horrible things to enable my son. I was doing it all in the name of love and for fear of losing him. I never wanted to make his problem worse and always thought “I have to do this in order to get him into treatment”. It was like he was making a deal with me. Give me this and I’ll go to rehab. I just need ____ much money “to pay someone back money I borrowed” then I’ll go to rehab. He was in rehab 15 different times. One of them was a top rehab in Laguna Beach, Ca. That is actually where he overdosed.
It’s all been such a whirlwind of a 5 year period that has ended in him being sober since July and me having a nervous breakdown at the beginning of August. That is when I started blogging. It’s all so heartbreaking, but I’m glad that you have found recovery. And thanks again for your writing.
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Thank you for sharing part of your story with me! I’m sorry for all that you have been through. That must have been difficult. You sound like a very strong individual who doesn’t give up! Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! I appreciate you!
Xoxo – Vanessa
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It has been many years since you turned to full-time sobriety, do you ever feel the temptation? If so, what do you do when your mind tries to convince you that you can handle it this time around?
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I do still feel the temptation at times. That hasn’t completely left me yet. Normally, if I start having thoughts of drinking, I reach out to other recovering women and I tell on myself. I’ve found that the moment I talk about it out loud to another person, the desire usually leaves me.
I also ask myself, “Are you willing to trade all that you have gained back in recovery for that one drink?” Because as an alcoholic, I understand that it was never one drink for me. That first drink would start the obsession all over again, and there goes my life.
I am not willing to trade all that I have today for alcohol. I pray that I never will be.
Thanks for commenting! xoxo
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Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for being a vocal, visible face for recovery! Also, you write beautifully!
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Thank you so much, Ken!
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Thank you for sharing. Stigmas are one of the number one causes why people do not seek help. I can relate. Be well!
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Thank you!
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Thank you for having the courage to share your story for the benefit of addicts, alcoholics, and family members. I appreciate what you wrote about your parents. It wasn’t their fault, but they supported you in your recovery. I wish you the best!
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Thank you so much for reading! Xoxo Vanessa
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Hi Vanessa, I’ve been following your blog and appreciate what you contribute to the blogosphere and so have nominated you for the Liebster Award 2018. I hope you’ll be back soon 🙂
http://familyfurore.com/uncategorized/liebster-award-nomination-2018/
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Thank you so much! This means the world to me! I have limited access to my account tonight, but I will take a look tomorrow! Thank you for following! 💖
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You’re so welcome! 🙂 Whenever you have the chance is a-ok. It’s bit of fun too, so enjoy. ❤
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Loved reading this. Congrats on your sobriety. I’m coming up on a year and the decision to make my recovery the most important thing in my life was critical in my success. I must never forget that.
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Amen! Congratulations on your recovery!
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