09/19/2025
Sharing our stories has great power.
Our stories have power
I was introduced to my drug of choice at a young age, experimenting as a teenager and young adult. At the time, I thought I had control, but by the age of 26 my casual use had turned into an addiction. What started as an escape soon became a prison. Addiction stripped me of the things that mattered most to me like jobs, friendships, trust, and even my ability to love myself. I became a version of myself that I hardly recognized, living only to feed the cycle that was slowly destroying me every day.
The turning point came when I realized just how much I stood to lose. I was on the edge of losing everything I loved—my family, my future, and my own sense of worth. That moment of clarity was painful, but it became the spark I needed to fight back. Choosing recovery was not easy, but it was necessary. I had to rebuild my life piece by piece, confronting my pain and learning how to live without the crutch.
Today, I am proud to say I have been sober for two years and three months. Recovery is not something I take for granted—it is something I work at every single day. My motivation comes from my fiancé and daughter, who remind me of what love and purpose feel like, as well as from my commitment to my own growth and self-respect. I now look at my story not as a story of loss, but as a story of strength and renewal. Addiction tried to take everything from me, but recovery has given me back even more: my family, my future, and the ability to truly love myself again.
-Alex VanPelt
