People Who Changed Their Lives (24 pics)

1

“The picture on the left is the last picture I have of myself before being admitted into the hospital for the 4th time with endocarditis (and actually staying). I was a straight junkie, using anything and everything I could get my hands on. It's hard to look back at what I once was, but I am thankful for that girl because she taught me so much.”
+Today I am 18 months sober!
There is no going backwards… only forward!”

2

“I started doing meth when I was 15, started shooting up at 26 and at 29 I decided to get sober due to having no memories and being miserable.”

3

"My name is Emerald. The last year of my heroin and meth addiction had me living in motel rooms and shelters. Both of my sons were taken from me. I was a shell of a human being.
Today, I am 21 months drug free! I have custody of both of my boys and I have found peace for the first time in my life. With all the division on Facebook lately, share this to let everyone know that recovery is possible!"

4

"I spent three decades in a vicious cycle of jail, homelessness, treatment attempts and hospitals in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. I died six times from overdose and survived five osteomyelitis bone infections. 
Today I am a husband, a father of three, a public speaker and an advocate."

5

"I am, and always will be, an addict. Sobriety isn't easy. Life isn't easy. But my God, a life without drugs is surreal."

6

"Today, I have another chance at life. Today, I get to feel a daughter’s love. I get to see the joy on her face when she hands me the Father’s Day gift she made me at school. Today, I am more than 3 years clean from all drugs and alcohol. Today, my name is David, and I am an Addict. I’m here to tell you that today, you can do it too."

7

"Today, I am 3.5 years clean!"

8

"This is Gabrielle and she’s got 4 months sober today!"

9

"I was abusing alcohol for 18 years daily. As my second marriage was crumbling my drinking got out of control. On 11/01/19 I was 273 pounds on blood pressure and cholesterol pills. I was a mess.
11/01/21 I celebrated 2 years sober. I’ve lost 80 pounds and it feels amazing. I wanted to stop for years and live the life I’m living now but never could. Every aspect of my life is better. Family, relationship, work, and most importantly I finally love looking in the mirror and seeing who I’ve become."

10

"My name is Madison and when I was just 15 years old I started using c*** and h***. By 20 I was on the streets, homeless. In my active addiction I went through a lot. I overdosed nineteen times, and escaped situations on the street that I still don’t have words for.
Let them see this. Let them see my picture. I’ll stand up for us. We are the forgotten ones. The ones nobody thought would make it. Look at us now. Never count out an addict."

11

"After 3 arrests, 2 felonies, 6 overdoses, 9 times in residential treatment, 4 times in long-term, a million broken promises, the chaos has finally stopped. I have 16 months clean & sober, I ended up getting my GED, I have had a job for over a year now, I have my own apartment, my family trusts me, the list goes on. I pray that one day I’m able to help others with my story, even if it’s just one person."

12

"My name is Hailey. I am 9 months and 6 days sober from everything. The picture on the left is me at the worst part of my addiction. On the right is me today. Just wanted to spread a little hope."

13

"I relapsed after having eight years clean. Luckily, I didn’t quit and today makes 10 months alcohol and drug free. Don’t ever give up."

14

“From coke to christ! 11 years clean! I feel so brand new, I haven’t touched a rock since god showed me how to stop.”

15

"This is where my addicition took me, and the second picture is where I am today. I s**k at life, it's hard for me to live life on life's terms. But a day I don't stick a needle in my arm is a day worth living. I'm grateful and blessed to still breathe the air God gave me. Today I am healthy.
Today I have amazing people by my side to support me. I have relationships with friends I never thought I would have. So to anyone who is struggling with active addiction, there is a better life to live. You just have to want it. "

16

"How about that for motivation? I honestly thought I'd die on a park bench with a needle in my arm or by gun to the head. I would've never in a million years thought my life would look the way it does today. Stop selling yourself short. You don't know what tomorrow might bring so you might consider starting today."

17

"My lowest point was when they took my daughter away. I couldn’t settle for that so I fought back. Getting clean was the most difficult thing I ever did. It takes a long time to undo all that damage, but I’ll get there. CLEAN and sober since 3-12-19."

18

"365 days ago I overdosed on one pill cut with fent. Today, I celebrate one year clean!"

19

"This is my daughter, Bradie. In active addiction, at the age of 18, she contracted endocarditis from her drug use and had to have open heart surgery by 19. She is now 23 and sober for 35 months! My prayers have been answered!"

20

"Nobody told me that when I grew up, I was going to be a drug addict. Nobody knew to warn me that I was going to be in for the fight of my life. But today, I can tell you that I had to go through every minute, every day, for over a quarter of a CENTURY to become the person that I was created to be. "

21

"My drug use caused me to go septic and the infection in my heart left me with endocarditis. The doctors told me I had 12 months to live if I kept using. They said my heart wouldn’t hold up after that. Here’s a picture of me at my college yesterday. I have 11 months clean today!"

22

"The photo on the left was taken in 2014. I was 79 pounds and just got out of the hospital after being on life support for a month. I was a*** to any and EVERY thing from buying lighters, gambling, organizing, to 90+ pills a day. To the right is a picture of me today—happy, joyous, and free!"

23

"I went from being 89 pounds, addict to heroin, and s***idal to finally feeling the miracle people in recovery were talking about. It took 9 rehabs and more detoxes than I can count, but one day I got it. With God, anything is possible. Don’t give up."