Free 24hr Assistance: 813.882.3003
Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Destined to die | Recovery Bytes | Turning Point of Tampa

Destined to Die by James R.

When I started using and drinking, I had no idea the path I was on. All I knew at that point in my life was pain and suffering. I grew up in an abusive household in poverty and both of my parents were addicts, prioritizing their addiction over caring for their children.

There were nights I prayed for death to relieve me of the misery that was my life. No child should ever feel that, way but I did. That all changed the day I took my first drink. I was FREE, or so I thought. From that point forward life became a constant pursuit of relief with the best solution I had at the time. I was a prisoner to drugs and alcohol. It didn’t take long until crime became a means that allowed me to continue to drink and use. My consequences progressed as well as my use. I didn’t know how cruel I was to my own mind, body, and spirit and when people would approach me concerned, I would shrug it off and tell myself they didn’t understand. They didn’t know that the pain I felt while abstinent was far greater than being the withered husk I had become. I was entirely unaware of the person I had become. I had no morals, no regard for others, no love for anyone or anything except my sweet escape. I had no idea I was repeating a cycle that I had seen my whole life through my parents.

The day finally came when I found my dad dead from an overdose. I didn’t even think about the fact that this too was my fate if I continued this path. All I knew was an even greater pain than I had ever experienced in my entire life, and I only knew one way to relieve it. I was off to the races. I went deeper into the abyss than ever before and didn’t care what happened to me. This eventually landed me in jail facing prison time where I was offered an opportunity to go to Turning Point of Tampa. I took the deal because anything was better than prison.

I decided at that point to seriously give sobriety a try. I dealt with the trauma I had, I learned about the nature of this disease, and learned about the program of AA. I was told to get a sponsor, so I got one. I was willing to do anything to get this right this time. Upon leaving Turning Point I went to sober living and started working the steps with my sponsor. While working the steps I was made aware of the person I had become in my addiction and how he was destined to die. My character defects were revealed to me, and I asked my higher power to remove them all. They were a part of me creating the monster I had become. It took time and effort, I still make mistakes and those defects still come up from time to time but thanks to Turning Point, my sponsor and my higher power, I am no longer the husk I was before, that guy is dead like he was destined to be all along and from the ashes rose a new me. Today I’m a happy, functional member of society who doesn’t have to use or drink ever again.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Telegram

Call To Speak with our Admissions Department

Toll Free: 813.882.3003

Contact Us

If you’d like more information about our programs please select from the list below and we’ll contact you.

List

Please provide any necessary details about your reason for contacting us.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Turning Points of View