My dual addiction recovery story is one that began with much inner turmoil. I spent a large portion of my life feeling completely powerless in the face of an addiction to drugs and alcohol, even though I knew it was destroying me. Despite multiple attempts to gain sobriety and stay clean, I kept slipping back into old habits; going through cycles of rehab and relapse, without any real progress towards a healthier life.
It wasn’t until I found myself at rock bottom that something changed. I finally had an epiphany where I realized I needed to make major changes in my lifestyle if I was ever going to turn things around. For me, that meant making radical changes to my diet, exercise habits and lifestyle choices. It also meant finding support from friends and family who supported me through the highs and lows of my journey to sobriety.
Another critical step for me in gaining control over these addictions has been working on building self-governance, taking personal responsibility for what goes into my mind and body as well as creating time for psychological healing work. Everyone’s journey is different but for me this combination of getting active help from external supportive people, coupled with the self-care work made all the difference.
These days, after years of hard work battling two addictions simultaneously, I can honestly say that there’s never been a better time in my life than now – I wake up each morning feeling inspired by the potential ahead of me instead of bogged down by guilt or shame from past injuries done unto others or myself. It truly is amazing how far I have come since giving up alcohol and drugs as part of taking charge of my own recovery story!