Instagram: @aliferecovered

My name is Matt. I’m 32, originally from Connecticut but now live in San Diego, CA. 

Ever since I was 15 I had an affinity for the temporary escape from reality that drugs and alcohol brought me. This love for substances was steadily bringing more and more pain and challenges into my life yet I ignored it for years.  Addiction took everything from me, my job, my relationship, my car, my apartment, all of my money and belongings. It also took the Matt that I used to be, caring, determined, loyal and honest. I cared about no one but myself and was committed to a life on the streets by early 2018.  After some serious legal trouble and narrowly missing a 6 year prison sentence I was at rock bottom. I had been to rehab several times but I wanted to try again due to my level of desperation.

I left March 6th 2019. After 58 days in treatment at the Lighthouse in Anaheim I felt different for the first time in my life. I never believed in spiritual experiences but I had one in April 2019 and I was convinced that I was now at a turning point. I stayed clean until September 17, 2020. 

I had gotten married in July and had good money coming in from my job. I was talking with many addicts and alcoholics on my page @aliferecovered and I forgot who I was. My big book was collecting dust. One day, my disease became stronger than me and I used a mind altering substance that was laying around the house. With everything on the line including my marriage I got myself together and got back to a meeting. I lost my days but not myself. I knew there was growth because I didn’t bail. I faced the relapse and overcame within a 48 hour period. September 17th 2021 I will have a year again, God willing.

There are many paths that one can take to be successful in recovery and I chose the path of AA. I have grown more mentally and spiritually in a year and a half then I had in my life for the past 15 years. I go to meetings regularly and I stay accountable. I continue to admit when I’m wrong and work on myself as a person on a daily basis. 

It is a lot of work pulling the old Matt out of the shell I had become but my friends and loved ones tell me It is beautiful to watch. I love sharing my story because everybody should know that they are deserving and capable of a new, healthy, productive way of life. Feel free to check out my page @aliferecovered for other inspiring stories.

For anyone new in sobriety it’s important to know that you can’t do this running off self will. In my experience, my success was dependent upon knowing that I did not know what was best for myself anymore. For a long time I thought I was the only one that could make the best decisions for me. Yet, my best thinking always had me back on the side of the road with a bottle in my hand. Listen to others and take suggestions.