Sean’s Addiction Recovery Story: Six Years of Sobriety

The following was written by Sean, a Riverside Recovery alumnus, and has been lightly edited for web format.

A Decade of Struggle Before Treatment

I got sober on March 13th, 2019. I finally took my mom’s advice and went to treatment for the first, and God willing, hopefully only time. The offer had been there for about a decade; I was never ready to receive it. I’d been blackout drinking since I was 13 years old, and that led to more dangerous substances in my late teens and early adulthood. She called our insurance company, and they gave us a list of places all over the state. I picked the one three miles from my apartment, just in case I needed to get out of there, it wouldn’t be a far walk home. I was 25 years old and about to age out of being on my dad’s health insurance. He died from substance abuse issues two years prior.

I moved all over the country several times to try and get sober on my own, always failing at it. I was back living in a party house in Ybor City and working at different bars and restaurants there, usually for only a few months at a time until I would rightfully be fired from them.

My whole world had eventually become those few blocks from 7th Street back to my apartment. I had several drug dealers along that route and all the alcohol I could consume in Ybor. I had no car, no steady work, no more friends, no hobbies, and nothing to look forward to except drugs and alcohol. I was completely alone.

I packed a small bag and waited for my mom to pick me up. Later that afternoon, I was greeted warmly by an admissions staff member named Jotham at Riverside Recovery and checked myself in.

Finding Hope at Riverside Recovery

The first few days were foggy, as I was on medications to help ease me into sobriety. I was planning on leaving once I felt physically better. There was a behavioral health technician named Mike who would check on me throughout the day. He’d always ask me if I wanted to go to the AA meeting in detox. I’d brush him off politely and say “maybe tomorrow” every time.

After about five days, I got the notice that my detox was coming to an end and that I should probably stay for the residential program. That day, I took Mike up on the offer to go to the meeting, and I heard something in there that made me decide to try the residential out, at least for a few days. I could still walk home if I needed to. They set me up with a therapist named Gene. He was a wonderful man who really met me where I was at the time, but therapeutically pushed me to try and do better and to be more open in the groups.

Small Moments That Made a Big Difference

The groups kept me engaged, staving my mind off from wandering into troubling thoughts and keeping my feet from walking home. They took me to the beach for the first time in years on a weekend outing, even though I only lived 30 minutes from it. One morning, the yoga instructor brought us all out early to see manatees in the river that Riverside sits upon. There were many little magical moments like these during my stay.

One of the most important things Riverside did for me was bring us to 12-step meetings in the evenings. A staff member named Ryan introduced me to my sponsor, and I worked with that man for years after.

When my stay was coming to an end, Riverside made the suggestion that I should enter sober living instead of moving back to Ybor.

Jotham and Sean
Jotham and Sean

Building a New Life in Recovery

I lived in a sober living house for eight months and attended outpatient services at Riverside for as long as my insurance would allow. I listened to the staff and my new network of sober friends, and here I am six years later with a very beautiful life now.

Riverside inadvertently led me to my career path. I got a job in Behavioral Health about a year later and worked my way up. I am now a Business Development Representative for another amazing treatment center, and I help folks and their family members find treatment now.

I truly cannot thank Riverside and their staff enough for being the starting point for me and so many others on their recovery journeys.

Your New Chapter Can Start Today

Sean’s story is proof that life can completely change when you take the first step toward recovery. If you’re struggling with addiction, Riverside Recovery is here to walk with you every step of the way.

Contact Riverside Recovery today to find out how our programs can help you build a life filled with hope, healing, and purpose.