At 20 years of age I overdosed and had to spend 3 days in the hospital.
Name: Stephen Nemetchek
Recovery Date: 05/23/2008
Drug of choice: Alcohol, cocaine, Ecstasy, acid and benzos
Instagram: @Recovery.with.steve
Website: www.stephennemetchek.com
Podcast: Unshackled: Empowering Change from the Inside Out
I grew up in Calgary, Alberta Canada. I had loving parents and was born into a good family. My journey began when I was 10 years old. At a sleepover with my best friend, his older brother sexually abused me at knife point. He told me to never tell anyone or he would hurt my family, so i didn’t. This abuse went on for 3 years with no one knowing.
At the age of 11, I had older friends who introduced me to weed, I will never forget that first high because it masked all the pain I was going through with the abuse. From that point on, I was all in because I needed to try and cope with the pain of being sexually abused over and over.
By the time I was 14, I was using cocaine, drinking heavily and starting to get into dealing. At the age of 16, I had a best friend who was 19 at the time who wanted me to get out of that lifestyle.
We were supposed to go mountain climbing one day but i decided to go use drugs instead. We got into a huge fight and the last words I said to him were "Just go die". Several hours later I received the call he fell mountain climbing and passed away. Now not only was I drug addict but a murderer as well, in my mind. This loss only made me go deeper into my addiction until I was 20.
At 20 years of age I overdosed and had to spend 3 days in the hospital. I remember getting out and going to my apartment only to find all my belongings gone. My so-called "friends" had robbed everything from me and I was left with nothing. I was now living in a local park on a bench when I made the decision to quit. I wish that was the turnaround point in my life but it was only one of my multiple rock bottoms.
Yes, I quit using but I never dealt with my abuse, trauma or loss and it was a poison rotting inside of me. I put myself through school as a counsellor, got a good job, got married and had 3 beautiful children. On the outside everything was "good" but on the inside I was screaming for help.
The depression started getting worst, I was now 30 years old, just went through a divorce and starting to really hate myself as a person. My depression got so bad that nothing could keep me wanting to live, not even the love for my children.
I promised myself I would never turn to drugs again, but I also never sought productive help and eventually my depression won. I had written a letter to my kids and thought everyone was better off with me gone.
My parents asked me to get help one last time before giving up and I agreed. That was when my life turned around. It was A LOT of work, I had to go deep into my past and start healing from the roots of my problems not just the surface level reactions.
Here I am now a counselor and certified mental wellness and life coach helping others find hope and freedom from addiction and mental health. I can confidently say that I am a new man and that even though what I went through was extremely tough, it has made me a better person today.
I found the love of my life, we have a blended family of 6 kids and I am doing what I love to do, helping people live the life they only dreamt of living. Hope is within reach!
For anyone reading this who is new to recovery or considering recovery, hear these words. Your past, your mistakes, they DO NOT define you. You are worthy of hope, freedom and transformation. Don't be afraid to seek help and don't let your inner dark voice speak louder than the hope that is in front of you.