Advice from others in long-term recovery
This page features advice from individuals in long term recovery from opioid addiction. They share lessons they have learned in recovery and offer advice to those still experiencing addiction and those in early recovery. Their words are powerful and serve to inspire anyone out there who needs to hear them.
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I’ve tried several pathways in order to find recovery and became discouraged when I failed.
I began to feel hopeless until I finally reached recovery – don’t give up and always keep trying until you find what works for you.
To those in early recovery, stay away from people, places and things that are associated with substance use, and find a good support group.
ANONYMOUS
3 YEARS IN RECOVERY
37 | NASSAU COUNTY, NY
An important lesson I have learned during my recovery is not to take life too seriously.
To those still experiencing opioid addiction, never give up and to those in early recovery, get a sponsor and just STAY.
JAMES ENGLISH
34 YEARS IN RECOVERY
68 | ORANGE COUNTY, NY
One important lesson that I have learned during my recovery is that the people you were getting high with are not your friend!
The advice I would give to those still experiencing addiction to opioids is not to be embarrassed to get help! There are so many resources! Life is better when you’re clean and there’s so much more to life when you can see clearly!
The advice I would give to those in early recovery would be to take it one day at a time.
Don’t let addiction define you!
You can recover.
MAGGIE TACTI
1 YEAR AND 9 MONTHS IN RECOVERY
29 | ULSTER COUNTY, NY
If it was someone you care about and not you, would you want them to get help?
It’s important to take responsibility for yourself and your actions, make healthy sober connections, and hold yourself accountable. And I think it’s really important to see the reality of drug use and not glorify those times. I see so many people in early recovery glorifying their drug use (saying That they did this and this and this–like it’s a competition, that it was so much fun, who speak about it like it was a fun party and not something serious) and usually those have been the ones who relapse.
ANONYMOUS
5 YEARS IN RECOVERY
24 | ULSTER COUNTY, NY
An important lesson I have learned during my recovery is to always lend a helping hand and to be of service.
There is a bigger purpose in this life and our experiences always equate to a lesson we are supposed to learn in this lifetime.
To those still experiencing addiction, I would tell them to hold on...don’t give up before the miracle happens. We don’t typically get help until we are at our very, very worst and lowest bottom. That despair is our motivation to make a choice to change our lives and oftentimes people don’t know they have a choice until they are more clear headed and not using.
To those in early recovery, I advise you to stay away from people, places and things even if this includes family that negatively affect your recovery. Get intimately involved in self-help programs because these help build a foundation of support. Get a sponsor that can support the recovery you need and/or get a peer. Self-help historically doesn’t support medication assisted treatment, but MAT is not switching one drug for another, it’s a lifesaver so get educated and build a support group that will help support the recovery you need.