Substance Abuse
Relapse
Anonymous
"After using inhalants for several years, I decided it was time to get clean. I had been using for seven years. I was young, but I knew using was not working. I started trying to quit cold turkey on my own. Over the course of almost a decade, I struggled with getting past six months clean. I continued to try, figuring out ways to navigate daily life and triggers without using. My drug was found everywhere and I could not escape it, not even at school, but I never gave up. I finally went to out patient treatment after reaching 9 months clean and relapsing again. They tried to help, but had not worked with someone like me. I relapsed during treatment, about 6 weeks in and almost gave up, but I did not. After completing treatment, I relapsed one more time, two weeks short of 18 months clean. After that, I changed just about everything in my life. I had gotten my goal, a year, and I knew I could do it again. I had troubleshooted almost everything, built the tools to be successful in recovery. It has been almost 10 years since my last relapse as I write this. What is a major part is taking it a day or even a moment at a time, self care, using my tools, and managing my triggers. Never give up. It took me almost 10 years of trying, but I learned from every relapse and it made me stronger and better as a result."