Kevin’s Journey
My Sobriety Journey
From Rock Bottom to Redemption
I first tried getting sober at 22. I checked into detox and then transitioned into inpatient rehab in Arizona, thinking that would be the turning point. In a lot of ways, it should have been. But I didn’t go in with the right mindset. I looked around and thought, “My issues weren’t as bad as my peers”. Deep down, I wasn’t ready to admit I had a real problem. I believed life without a couple drinks couldn’t be full or fun, especially as a young guy trying to navigate adulthood.
I spent 28 days in that facility and walked out thinking I was cured. That illusion shattered fast. Within hours, I found myself at the airport bar, ordering a drink and popping an anxiety pill (I’d saved for the flight home). When I got home, I didn’t use a single tool I had learned. I isolated myself, ignored the support I needed, and quickly fell back into the cycle.
For the next 7 years, I struggled. I’d string together a few months of sobriety, even made it a full year alcohol-free, but the whole time, I was abusing Xanax. I convinced myself I could drink “normally,” but even a couple drinks would trigger unbearable withdrawal symptoms. The pills made it bearable.. until they didn’t. The cycle continued: numb the pain, swear off booze, try to return to “normal” drinking, fall apart again. Over and over.
It was exhausting for me and for the people who loved me. There were legal issues, broken relationships, missed opportunities and I was just barely getting by, literally hanging on by a thread.
At 29, after a year without alcohol (but still on pills), I went on a family vacation. On the last day, I ran out of pills. On the flight home, I justified a drink to ease my anxiety. That one drink turned into days lost. I missed work. I ghosted everyone. Luckily, my dad used the garage code to check on me at my townhome. He found me on the couch with a bottle in my hand and that moment changed everything.
I thank God every day for my parents getting me into a Detox Center (Cura West Denver). I had finally hit rock bottom and this time, I was ready to get sober.
I am proud to say that my last drink/benzo was in March 2023. Since then, I’ve rebuilt from the ground up. That doesn’t mean it’s been easy though. Some days are tougher than others. I still deal with anxiety. I still have moments where I think about the booze/pills. But now, I have tools, support, and faith to not give in to those thoughts. I have a loving fiancée walking beside me in this journey, a renewed faith in God, and a support system that lifts me up.
Today, I’m proud to say I have a professional career in Sales Development in the Tech space.. My loved ones no longer worry if I’ll make it through the night. And I no longer need a substance to get through the day.
I believe it’s a miracle I’m still here and I believe God has a plan for each of us.
If anything in my story resonates with you
If you’re tired of blacking out or waking up in withdrawal, know this: you’re not alone, and change is possible.
No one’s perfect, and I’m not saying I have it all figured out. But if you ever want to talk, please reach out.
I’d love to share how I got to where I am today, at over two years sober, and how you can get here too.
Contact me: unscriptedsobriety@gmail.com