Your real-life, true story of your own personal battle of drug addiction and recovery. While no one can tell you exactly how to write your addiction story, honesty and vulnerability are some of the most fundamental keys to recovery that should be included. When you share your story, be honest about your experience with addiction and recovery. Don’t try to hide the difficult parts or make them sound more glamorous than they are.

You might choose to include your previous attempt at recovery under the banner of “what things were like,” and focus on why things are different this time around. Many of us have tried to quit drinking or abusing drugs on our own, only for some outside influence to finally push us in the right direction. Noting this in your story may convince newcomers who struggle withthe stubbornnessthat taking suggestions from others can change their very lives.

Levels of Care

This may not be the most glamorous detail, but it is an important one. It shows the raw reality of addiction and how it can affect every aspect of your life. Some observers might not relate to the ease with which you “quit your job” to pursue treatment, so they could goodbye letter to drugs tune out and miss key points in your story. This is one example of how embellishing your story can actually do more harm than good. If there was a specific step within the program that was particularly helpful to you, be sure to mention exactly what it was.

I was at risk of drug abuse as a teenager thereby easily influenced to addiction at age eleven as my parents were drug addicts. I was close to my mum and it did not help matters at all. It was easy for me to imitate her since we were like two friends.

The Dos and Don’ts of Sharing Your Recovery Story

This is backed by science, as storytelling has been shown to be a meaningful activity to accelerate one’s recovery journey. Addiction is any behavior that is compulsive or difficult to control. Over time,there has been much debateabout whether or not alcohol addiction can be classified as a disease. Scientists continue to do research to understand this idea, but so far, they have discovered addiction is a long-term, complicated brain disease.

• There is alsoa strong link between alcoholism and trauma.
• It can be hard to say “no” to the activity all your friends are engaging in.
• Sharing harrowing experiences with others has been shown to boost health and well-being by building supportive ties and reinforcing positive values and life lessons.
• Even then, you may choose to talk about these things when telling your story.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. In the event of a medical emergency, call a doctor or 911 immediately. This website does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. There is no need to keep it going once the tale is complete. If you have been honest and fulfilled the task of telling others what it was like, what happened, and what things are like now, then you have been successful.

Personal Stories

Along with helping to treat various mental illnesses and psychological issues, mindfulness can be a great tool for battling addiction and building a healthy lifestyle. A holistic treatment center can teach you these and other strategies for creating a happy and fulfilling life beyond addiction. At Renewal Lodge by Burning Tree, you will find a team of compassionate, knowledgeable professionals ready to coach each client through the 12-steps and beyond. By structuring treatment to fit individual needs, including the identification of co-occurring disorders, Burning Tree facilitates an environment of healing and holistic wellness. Here, our clients tackle their addictions head-on and harness the power to restructure their lives through high accountability and life skills that foster lasting sobriety.