"Substance issues"

For a long time i used drugs and alcohol as a mask and as a way of coping with things i didn't know how to deal with. What started as a way of escaping difficult emotions and situations eventually became a pattern that was taking control of my life.

Eventually i had to be honest with myself and recognise that i couldn't continue living the way i had been. I made the decision to put myself into rehab and step away from active addiction. That decision wasn't easy but it was one of the most important decisions i've ever made.

Rehab gave me the opportunity to stop, reflect and start taking responsibility for my choices and behaviours. it also helped me understand that recovery isn't simply about stopping drugs and alcohol. It's about stopping drugs and alcohol. It's about learning how to live differently.

After rehab i made the decision to seek out a recovery day program. The Nana Muru Day Program has had a tremendous impact on me. The program has given me practical tools, feedback  and different ways of looking at situations that i can actually implement into my everyday life.

I'm learning to recognize my emotions instead of masking them, to think about the consequences of my choices and to respond to situations rather than automatically reacting to them. I'm also learning that asking for help isn't a weakness, it's a part of building a stronger life.

The feedback I've received through the program has helped me see things about myself that i couldn't see while i was in active addiction. It has challenged me to be accountable, to communicate better, to make healthier decisions and to keep working on myself even when things are uncomfortable.

I'm still learning and i know recovery is an ongoing process. I don't expect everything to change overnight. What has changed is my direction. I'm no longer allowing drugs and alcohol to be the way i deal with life.

today i'm trying to build a life based on responsibility, connection, honesty, self-awareness and positive choices. I am grateful for Mitch and Sylvia from Nana Muru, but also for others who have helped me through my recovery journey.

My recovery journey is still being written but for the first time in a long time i am the one making the choices about where my story goes.