Stephanie B.’s Story

Recovery Triumph: Alcohol

I went through rehab twice. The first time, I wasn’t ready to give up alcohol; it was a control thing. No one can tell me I can’t drink, I thought–it’s legal!

I relapsed, and my attempts to stop and or even cut down on my drinking didn’t work. I would binge on alcohol, and I would drink for days on end. The hangovers and blackouts were terrible, but the worst was hurting the people close to me.

My second time in rehab, the withdrawal was painful. I cried and prayed. One day, something suddenly clicked in my brain: I didn’t want to live like that anymore. It’s hard for me to explain, but it was as if somebody had removed the part of my brain that contained my alcohol cravings.

To this day, I have no secret urges to drink and no desire to be a “normal” drinker again. I don’t obsess about it like I did. It’s baffling. My higher power or God answered my prayer by helping me quit and stay sober. I also credit my family–they never left my side and never gave up on me. And my boyfriend helped me realize what a healthy, meaningful relationship feels like.

My personal transformation and the gifts I’ve received throughout my journey of the past four years have been dramatic. A bad day today is never as bad as it was, and nothing could drive me to take another drink. I’m grateful for sobriety and for life.

—Stephanie B.