Blunts, Boards and Rehab—The Hidden Surprises of Staying Sober in Your 20s

Have you ever met anyone who has battled addiction? If so, you have probably wondered why they can’t stop using and acting like an idiot. With addiction comes irrational behavior, with irrational behavior comes a plethora of negative consequences. Still, it takes a great deal of pain and suffering for someone to recover from addiction.

Many people start using drugs and alcohol at a young age. When most kids start experimenting with drugs, they do not have the end goal of becoming an addict. However, it happens. And as they grow older, it gets harder and harder to come out of this dark cycle of addiction. Think of all of the peer pressure: parties, bars and clubs are a great way to meet people and most weekend activities revolve around drinking. When you take that out of someones life, what is there left to do? That is the number one question young people in recovery ask at first.

I fell into the grip of addiction in my teenage years. I started drinking and abusing drugs at the young age of 13. Around the same time I was diagnosed with ADHD. I was prescribed Adderall and realized it was the perfect compliment to my marijuana habit. I had the perfect balance…or so I thought. The Adderall kept me up and the weed mellowed me out. Little did I know I was self-medicating. My parents caught on to my addiction and sent me to a dual diagnosis rehab center at the age of 16.

My therapist explained to me that it was a fatal disease, and if I continued to use, I am either going to end up in jail, in an institution or dead. To me, it seemed like a bunch of scare tactics to make me change my ways, so I continued to use drugs and drink throughout rehab. The next three years turned into a living hell, until I hit a bottom.

Without going into detail, I ended up hospitalized due to drugs and finally recognized that I have this disease of addiction. From the hospital I willingly went to rehab. I was completely spiritually broken and had nothing left to my name. I was done and I knew it. At the age of 19, I decided to take the blind leap of faith into recovery and haven’t looked back since. Making this decision to get sober was the best action I ever took.

Today, I am 25 years old and have over six years of uninterrupted and continuous sobriety. When I got out of that dual diagnosis rehab center at 19, I asked that above question: Drinking and using drugs were my life, how am I going to have fun again? I quickly found out that in sobriety having fun is the best part.

My inner child was released when I got sober and I learned that there are so many beautiful gifts to life. Something as simple as going to a movie with my friends was a blast. I started doing all the hobbies that I gave up to addiction. Playing basketball, snowboarding and weightlifting all became part of life once again. Best of all, I found a new friend group that actually cares for each other, as opposed to my old group, who only cared about getting high.