In the spirit of Treatment4Addiction, it is time to share my experience with treatment!

Treatment was, plain and simple, the best thing that ever happened to me. I never could be where I am at today- happy, useful and peaceful, had it not been for my experience in treatment. It was more than just not using drugs and alcohol that led me to this new happiness. It was about getting the tools that I needed to live a happy, sober life (I didn’t know it was possible!)

Before entering treatment I had gotten myself into a rut that I could not get myself out of. My opiate use had reached what seemed like the point of no return. I went through multiple detoxes, each time vowing that this time I was done for good. Again and again I found myself in the same position: I knew I would screw my life up if I took that first drug and I would take it anyways. I knew the right path but I still kept taking the wrong one.

I found myself unable to stop on my own. I was a paranoid, non-functional wreck. Finally, I was in a point where I had lost not only the external things such as my car, apartment and job but I was emotionally dead.

My girlfriend’s brother had gone to a rehab called Sober College and had some really good things to say about it. The idea of it sounded great. They offer recovery-related college credit courses there through the ‘Sober College School of Addiction Studies’ at Andrew Jackson University. This sounded appealing because I did not want to put my life "on hold" while I was in treatment for months and months.  So I packed my bags, held on tightly to my Suboxone and moved to Sober College.

The next 30 days or so were filled with insomnia, misery and hopelessness. Luckily I was surrounded by a staff of amazing people who walked me through the fear and pointed me in the right direction. Had it not been for a few special staff members there, I probably would not have made it that far. At 30 days (the longest I had ever made it!) I had a turning point and started taking direction. I participated in every part of the program and slowly my life began to improve. I started getting the tools I needed for happiness in sobriety, which all fit under what Sober College calls the ‘five core competencies’:  sobriety, life skills, school/career, emotional intelligence and fitness. The most important theme in all of these things for me is ‘spirituality’, which I have discovered through a 12 step program.

Sober College also taught me how to have fun in sobriety. It is a young adult program (ages 17-25), which made a huge difference. There is an amazing sense of community that cannot be found in treatment centers that mix age groups. There were also some fun activities such as a music program, surfing and softball.

Taking classes through the Sober College School of Addiction Studies was great also. The content of the classes are designed specifically for people in recovery. Not only do I have a great understanding of addiction now, but I have 6 more credits. You don’t have to be a Sober College resident to take these classes either; they are available to anyone here: www.sc.aju.edu

So, that was my experience at Sober College. I could write hundreds of pages on what it was like getting sober but I guess my intention in this blog is to give Sober College the credit that it deserves. I am truly lucky to have gone to Sober College and would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody.