Everyone has a story, their own version of defeat and subsequent recovery here. Courtney, Recovery Support Specialist at Green Mountain Treatment Center, talks about how she once gave up everything for her addiction, and then she gave that up to reclaim it all. Now, she gets to help others do the same.
Giving Up Everything for One Thing
I don’t think I can ever repay what’s been so freely given to me. The person sitting here talking to you right now is not the person I was six years ago. I used to give up everything for one thing to get out of myself, to get high or black out, get boozy. I used to give up everything for that one thing and now I’ve given up one thing for everything and anything, and it’s wide open. I get to share that with these women, the people who come in (into inpatient drug rehab). I remember thinking as I was getting sober myself, “I’m never gonna have fun again”, but of course, you do. They get to see me laughing and being silly it gives them something to look forward to. It gave me something to look forward to when I saw the people that came before me.
This is life and death…
This is life and death. That’s what fuels my fire. It’s not just a paycheck. You come to work and it’s magic. Instantly, I have love for the women that I work with on a daily basis. We have that transmission line. As the days go on, the weeks go on, watching that light come back on in their eyes. It’s the most beautiful thing in the world to me.
It’s witnessing miracles
They come up to me and they can’t wait to tell me, what step they’re on and how well they’re doing. It’s amazing. It’s witnessing miracles. There’s no other really word to say it but miracles. I knew it wasn’t a state secret that I had a problem with drugs and alcohol. I didn’t know at first the extent of what I had, but I remember it being so hard to reach out for help. But it was the best thing that I ever did. So just do it. Pick up the phone. It’s going to be heavy at first, but just do it, let us love you until you can love yourself.
Watch the full video:If you or a loved one of struggling with a drug addiction, please call our admissions specialists at (855) 712-7784. It’s going to be heavy, but we can help.