Recovery is needed because addiction doesn’t just take substances out of your life , it takes you out of your own life. It slowly rewires how the brain works. The brain learns that relief, comfort, and survival come from using instead of healthy coping. Over time, stress, pain, boredom, and emotions all point to one solution: escape. That’s not weakness, that’s conditioning. Recovery is needed because addiction shrinks your world. Relationships suffer. Trust erodes. Purpose fades. You may still show up physically, but mentally and emotionally you’re disconnected. Life becomes about getting through the day instead of living it. Recovery is needed because untreated addiction keeps you stuck in reaction mode. Every feeling becomes a trigger. Every problem feels overwhelming. Without recovery, the same patterns repeat, even when you know better. Knowing isn’t enough when the brain has been trained a different way. Recovery is needed because using isn’t really about the substance, it’s about relief. Relief from trauma, guilt, shame, fear, loneliness, or pain. Recovery gives you tools to face those things instead of running from them. Recovery is needed because staying the same eventually costs more than changing. Health declines. Legal, financial, and family consequences stack up. Spiritually, many people feel empty or disconnected from God, purpose, and self. Recovery is needed because you don’t unlearn addiction alone. The brain heals through repetition, structure, accountability, and connection. Recovery creates space to relearn how to cope, how to feel, how to live. Recovery isn’t about being perfect. It’s about becoming present. It’s about freedom, not just from substances, but from the patterns that kept you trapped.

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My name is Bradley. I’m 52 years old and from Sacramento, California. I’ve lived here most of my life, except for about four years when I moved to Dover, Delaware. My best friend and his family were moving back there and asked me to come along. I said sure, why not. After living there for four years, I realized I couldn’t handle the cold anymore. I’m a California guy, and six months of cold weather was too much for me. When I was younger, I was caught up in drugs and in and out of jail. I didn’t really have a purpose or direction back then. The last time I got locked up, I was sentenced to two years and a drug program. That time, something changed in me. When I got out, I went to a program in Redding, CA for a year. I finished it, did well, and became the director of the program and discipleship home for two years. After that, I moved to the Bay Area and spent around 20 years doing street ministry in San Francisco and Sacramento. I was also working full-time as a commercial painter and a foreman. I would work eight hours a day and then go out to do ministry for five or six hours at night. After years of that, I got burned out. Later, I got into a bad motorcycle crash from street racing, which made me retire early. That crash led me back into addiction for about seven years. This time, I put myself into rehab. I stayed a full year and relearned the tools I once knew. It’s crazy how fast you can forget them. I’ve now been out of the program for a year and I’m doing really good. I still ride motorcycles, just not racing anymore. I buy and sell bikes on the side to make a little extra money since SSI doesn’t pay much. A couple years ago, I decided to go to college for the first time. I want to become a counselor. I know to stay strong in my recovery, I need to help others who are going through what I went through. I want to show people that there’s hope and a way out. Sometimes all a person needs is someone to believe in them. I have lived through a lot and carry real-life wisdom. I don’t just know recovery from books—I’ve lived it. No degree can teach that. I believe people will feel that when they talk to me. Going to college now shows I’m not done growing. I want to use my story to help others and be a bridge for people until they can believe in themselves again.

I believe the opioid overdose crisis could be prevented if treatment was easier to access and people didn’t have to jump through so many hoops to get help. Right now, many people who want treatment are stuck on long waiting lists, turned away because of insurance problems, or face a lot of paperwork. When someone finally decides they are ready to get help, that moment is critical. Waiting too long can cost lives. I’ve seen people want help but give up because it takes too long to get in. By the time they try again, it can be too late. Medication-assisted treatment- is proven to work and should be more widely available. There are several options that help people survive and start recovering: Methadone – taken daily at a clinic, helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It stabilizes the brain and body, allowing people to focus on living their lives, working, and rebuilding relationships. Buprenorphine / Suboxone – often taken at home, safer than methadone, reduces cravings and the risk of overdose, helping people stay in treatment longer. Vivitrol – a once-a-month shot that blocks opioids and helps prevent relapse. Patients need to be fully detoxed before starting, but once it’s started, it provides steady protection and makes recovery more manageable without taking a daily pill. These medications are not replacing one drug with another. They are medical treatments for a real health problem. They give people a chance to stabilize and regain control of their lives. Recovery is not just about stopping drug use. People in treatment also have to unlearn the habits, coping mechanisms, and thought patterns they developed while using drugs. Addiction teaches behaviors that seem normal when using, like chasing a high, lying to get drugs, or avoiding responsibilities. In recovery, people have to learn new ways to handle stress, triggers, and everyday challenges without turning to substances. Therapy, support groups, and practice in real life help people replace old habits with healthier ones. This process of unlearning and relearning is just as important as the medication itself.

Being in recovery during the holidays isn’t easy. This time of year brings a lot—stress, memories, family stuff, and old habits trying to creep back in. Everywhere you go, there are triggers. That doesn’t mean I’m doing something wrong. It just means I’m human and still learning. The holidays used to look different for me. Using was part of how I got through the day. Now I’m learning how to sit with feelings instead of running from them. That’s uncomfortable, but it’s part of change. Recovery isn’t just about not using—it’s about changing how I live and how I handle life. I’ve had to learn to plan ahead. Sometimes that means leaving early, saying no, or not showing up at all. I don’t owe anyone an explanation for protecting my sobriety. My recovery comes first, even if other people don’t understand it. The loneliness can hit harder during the holidays. Not everyone has a safe or supportive family, and that’s okay to admit. I’ve learned that it’s better to lean on people who support my recovery—meetings, phone calls, or just someone who gets it—than to force myself into places that put me at risk. Some days, the only goal is to stay clean. And that’s enough. The holidays don’t need to be perfect. I don’t need to be happy all the time. I just need to stay honest, stay grounded, and take it one day at a time. Being in recovery during the holidays is hard—but staying clean through it is proof that change is real.