Finding My Swing Again in Life:
1 Year Clean and Sober!
Before coming to participate in the program at Narconon Suncoast, I was on the verge of death. I had burned every bridge imaginable with my family and friends, as well as any dreams I once had for my life. My opiate usage was out of control, and I was using heroin as well as Xanax. Due to my actions, I had ruined all my relationships. Drugs seemed to be the only thing to allow me to temporarily escape and forget about everything, even though drugs had become the root of all my problems.
When I came to Narconon Suncoast, I was genuinely tired of the lifestyle that I was living and desperate for change. I had plenty of ups and downs on my program as I was stuck in my way old ways of thinking. While going through the Sauna portion of the program, all the immediate cravings I had struggled with started to subside, and I began feeling better than I had in a long time. The other parts of the program helped me realize that my drug problem was part of a bigger problem, and I began working on the underlying issues of why I used in the first place. Being able to get this level of care and attention was truly a blessing.
Over the past year, I have been able to begin repairing my life and continue working towards my goals. I have been able to gain trust back from my family, which was very important to me. I have also been able to become happy with myself and who I am without the want or need to mask my emotions with substances.
A big reason for my success was to leave my home state and go to treatment in a completely different environment in Florida. I knew it would be better for me to get away even though leaving for Florida felt like a bigger commitment than staying close to home. When I went home last year, it became uncomfortable for me to be where I had all the memories of partaking in criminal activity due to my addiction. Fortunately, I had a family that was very supportive of me, and they knew that if I fell back into old habits, it could easily lead to prison or death.
I made the decision to relocate back to Florida permanently. While here, I have been able to create friendships that are based on who I am as a person rather than what I have or what drugs I had. I have been able to pick up old hobbies and truly enjoy them. I have been able to face real-world problems head-on without the need to want or use drugs. I have been able to obtain my own vehicle, shipped here from my uncle, which, believe it or not, was a huge deal to me.
“Being able to go out and play and not only enjoy myself but also soak in the beauty of being on the golf course, appreciating being outside with nature and my surroundings has been a very rewarding experience of my sobriety.”
Golfing is something I used to truly enjoy but became an afterthought during my addiction. Being able to go out and play and not only enjoy myself but also soak in the beauty of being on the golf course, appreciating being outside with nature and my surroundings, has been a very rewarding experience of my sobriety.
With the first year of my new drug-free life behind me, I now look forward to continuing to make the right steps toward the years to come. I have become comfortable with who I truly am in the 1 year of sobriety and am looking forward to the rest of my life! Thank you, Narconon Suncoast!
Evan H.—Narconon Suncoast Graduate
