Our Stories
Share the power of long-term recovery. If you are in recovery, a family member, friend or ally of someone in recovery, we want to hear your recovery story!
Learn more...
Faces & Voices of Recovery's book page
has information on many of the growing number of recovery-related publications. It’s a work in progress, so please let us know of other books that you think we should include. Check it out!
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Our Stories
Recovery is everywhere. We are using our stories to demonstrate that recovery is working for over 23 million Americans by organizing and speaking out about the reality of recovery. We are offering hope to people who are still struggling, their families and communities.
Thousands of advocates are using Faces & Voices recovery messaging - language that you can use to talk about recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs - when they're speaking and writing - as a person in recovery, a family member or friend. Find out more about using our recovery messaging and Our Stories Have Power training.
Watch video stories here!
Please use this form to share your story!
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Voices of Recovery (Adobe Acrobat .pdf, 335KB)
Share Your Story on the Quit and Recovery Registry
Read Our Stories Below:
Oluwatosin Olaoluwa
Ondo State, Nigeria
I'm a youth in recovery from addiction. By the grace of God, I survived almost 15 years of deadly addiction to alcohol and other drugs...more
Donna Wattenberg
Buddina, Qld
At 14 yrs old, what many thought was just moody adolescents, I was actually suffering from depression. At this age I started self medicating with weed and alcohol....more
Patricia Sawyer
Greenville, SC
On November 12, 1986, my life changed forever when I finally admitted defeat and raised my hand and admitted,"My name is Pat and I am an alcoholic."...more
Sara Bronson
Chehalis, WA
I am 6 years and 5 months sober from crystal methamphetamine. I turned to IV meth use after the loss of my husband during a very difficult divorce...more
Maura Casey
New York, NY
Even after all this time, I can still sense the occasional awkwardness when people discover I don't drink, particularly around the holidays...more
Luis Nunez
New York, NY
I’ve been there; every drug, heroin, crack, and pcp. It put me in a homeless pit, clawing my way out just to fall back in the pit...more
Linda Desharnais
Tupper Lake, NY
Out of the depths of despair comes recovery. We went through physical and emotional pain so long that we gave up any hope of ever finding meaning to our lives...more
Marilyn Davis
Flowery Branch, GA
My name is Marilyn Davis and I am person in long term recovery. This means that I have not used drugs or alcohol in more than 24 years...more
Anthony Fallon
Dublin, Ireland
Just a short story of when I confronted my fears, April 2009. I was lying in bed feeling sick getting well...more
Stacy Ackerman
Tucker, GA
All our life we’ve been spoiled, monetarily speaking. Whatever the problem was -- Daddy sent a check. Not this time....more
Robin Coulter
Flint, MI
I have been in recovery for 7 years! I got in recovery through a friend by letting him take me off the streets...more
Tony Sanchez
Athens, GA
My name is Tony and I'm a person in longterm recovery. What that means to me is that I have not used Alcohol or other drugs since Jun 24, 2011...more
Stephanie Nunn
Denton, TX
I am a grateful recovering addict/alcoholic of almost six years. The bottom I hit before...more
Jennifer Burns
Dracut, MA
From the grips of despair to the Glories of Hope. Before recovery I was...more
Ehsan
Tehran
When I was drowned in addiction I never thought that someday I would write about it, someday that I would have successfully passed through it...more
Devin Fox
Trenton, NJ
My name is Devin Fox. I'm a person in long-term recovery which means I haven't used a drink or a drug since...more
Nathanael Sprott
Davenport, IA
My life was unmanageable; jobs, a marriage, and my dignity were gone. Sitting in a jail cell...more
Allison Tierney Wood
Manchester, NH
I am writing this today because on June 1, 2012, I am celebrating 6 years on long term sobriety...more
Kelvin Young
Middletown, CT
My name is Kelvin and I'm a person in long term recovery, which means that I haven't used alcohol and other drugs for over 3 years...more
Linda Shaffer
Shelby, NC
My drug of choice was alcohol and "Anything else you got". That was how I wound up on the fast track to hitting bottom...more
Jared Jackson
Warwick, RI
My teenage life disaster began early. To me it started when I was eleven years old. It was Mother's Day in 2005, I was cooking for my stepmom...more
Mandy Lees
Cary, NC
30 yrs ago this coming June 13th I made a decision to change my life. Stopping my drinking and drugging has been the most rewarding lifestyle change I could ever make... more
Angel Traynor
Annapolis, MD
My name is Angel and I am a recovering Addict/Alcoholic. After 30 years of living with addiction, domestic violence, incomprehensible demoralization...more
David Loffert
Denver, CO
After completing 4 years at the University of Northern Colorado for my Bachelor of Science in 1990, 1 year at Johns Hopkins University for my Masters...more
Tracy Solomon
Harrisburg, PA
I had a good upbringing. When I finished high school, two years later I met my husband. He owned a Seafood Restaurant where I worked for over 15 years...more
Ed Dost
Port Angeles, WA
At 14 years of age
around 1962 I first began using marijuana. It quickly escalated to LSD,
amphetamines, downers, and on and on. For the most part I stuck...more
Christine Alexander
Queen Creek, AZ
Hello, my name is Christine. I've been in the mental health system since I was 15 years old. I am bipolar. I am now 31 years old and have managed...more
Tony Giordano
Fair Haven, NJ
Though I was never addicted to alcohol or drugs, substance abuse has impacted me and my family in profound ways. My father was an alcoholic...more
Kelley Story
Gray, ME
Hi, my name is Kelley. I can't remember my first drink or drug. They were always a part of my life. I was brought up...more
Kevin Edward Kelly
St. Cloud, MN
My addiction to opiate/opioid drugs began in 1974, back in NYC, where I was born and raised. Like most addicts, I first began getting high... more
Tom Meyer
Verona , WI
My son Aaron was 17 when he said "Dad, I don't care where you go or what you do, but you gotta do something about you 'cause your killin' Mom." Aaron was in recovery... more
Trudy Avery
Sandwich, MA
Addiction does not just affect the addict, but everyone around them. more..
Vivian Eisenecher
San Diego, CA
I am a survivor. I have conquered social phobia, dysthymia and alcoholism. More...
Andrea Giba
Walker, MI
My 1st drink at 18 began 31 years of use and abuse; most of the time blacked out.
. I progressed to cocaine, acid and everything in between. More...
Becky Master
I was 9 yrs old when I had my 1st sip of beer. I spit it out, but by the 7th grade I was smoking pot, cigarettes, and drinking vodka on the rocks. More...
Trish O'Hare
In 1998 at age 43 I left my husband of 15 years. The disease of alcoholism placed a death grip on our marriage and never let go. More...
Kimberly Armstrong
Dallas, TX
I was at the Symphony the other night and I was amazed. Not at the people or the music, but at the Maestro. More...
Erin Bludworth
Denver, CO
I am a 35 year old survivor who has been clean and sober for almost seven years. My drug of choice was Methamphetamine. More...
Timothy Harrington
I started drinking at at age 12. Believe me I needed a drink, and managed not to cross the imaginary line of no return until I was about 18. More...
Christina Thompson
Belton, SC
I no longer do the things I used to do when I was obsessed with the getting and using and finding ways and means to get more.
I have learned respect more...
Kevin Young
Trenton, ME
I'm Kevin Young and I am in long-term recovery, which means that I have not used opiates, alcohol, and other drugs for more than 19 years. more...
Susan McKeown
Manchester, NH
I am a parent of a graduate of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program. more...
Tiffanie Dean
Fort Payne, AL
Hello my name is Tiffanie and I am a person in recovery from drugs and alcohol more...
Debbie Dettor
Augusta, ME
At 15, I began experimenting with alcohol and pot with the more...
Debbie Bonafede
Mingo Junction, OH
1999. What a way to end the decade - spiraling downward more...
Cindy Davis
Salem, OH
February 9, 2000. It was the worst of times. I walked more...
Rich Rodriguez
Oregon, OH
In the past I was known as the Drunk among Drunks. More...
Brenda Shebanek
Crockett, CA
My addiction began when I was 13 after the death of my more...
Hugh Tudor Foley
Yuma, AZ
In 2001 I was confronted for increasing alcoholic behavior more...
Lynn Marie Smith
San Clemente, CA
At the age of 19, I moved from small-town Pennsylvania more...
Jeff Tuttle
Hendersonville, TN
I am an Entertainer (singer/songwriter/recording artist). More...
Art Zwerling
Elkins Park, PA
My name is Art Zwerling and I’m an alcoholic/addict that more...
Betsy Crang
Kenney, IL
I arrived at my first Al-Anon Family Group meeting hoping more...
Lorna Finkenbinber
Friendswood, TX
I have been a member of Al-Anon for 10 years. It not only more...
Gayle W.
Paisley, ON, Canada
Upon his return from his first semester at University, my more...
Linda W.
Hilton Head Island, SC
I am the granddaughter, daughter, sister and mother of more...
Lois Lee Mazzone
Scotia, NY
I am a 45 year old middle class white woman who was more...
Martie B.
Shallow Lake, ON, Canada
Life before recovery was a variety of blacks and greys more...
Nancy Bauman
Bountiful, UT
I am a secondary victim (parent, sibling, friend, etc) in more...