Jody’s Story
Submitted by Jody
“My name is Jody I have been with Focus Treatment Centers for 13 years. I have been around the recovery community in Chattanooga and North Georgia for the past 19 years. In honor of National Recovery Month, I wanted to share my personal story of recovery.
My story starts in 2002. I was hopeless, homeless, car less, and spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, broken. There was no hope for a 41 yr. old drug addict that could not stop using. The only hope I could find was in doing something that I really did not want to do – I had two options. The first was dying, and I thought I was truly helpless so dying seemed like a good solution. The second option was to get help. It was only through a miracle that I landed in treatment here in Chattanooga and there the hope started coming back almost immediately. At NA (Narcotics Anonymous), I met other people who had been where I was and knew exactly what I was feeling inside. The folks there provided me with love when I was unable to love myself, and they continued to love me until I was able to. It was there that all those broken pieces began to mend and where my recovery journey truly began.
From there it has been a ride, and I have watched my own hope grow and even multiply over the years. Hope for me is having a job doing what I enjoy doing. It is being able to love myself and be loved by others. Hope is waking up in the morning and being able to start a new day. I guess I owe all my hope to my Higher Power and all the people who tolerate me on daily basis. I am also grateful for the addicts that came before me – some who have passed on and some that are still living. They have provided that same hope for each of us that followed. The support from the recovery community here is unmeasurable. As a daily user for many years, I have the upmost empathy for the addict reaching out for help. I understand what it feels like to let people I loved down. I understand the guilt that comes with the selfish decisions we make when we choose drugs over everything dear to us. I also know the GIFT of DESPERATION. Yes, for me desperation was a gift. Without being desperate I never would have reached out for help. Because of this, I have tried to provide the same hope to others that was freely given to me over the last 13 years at Focus. I love having the opportunity to witness people come into our program feeling hopeless and broken, then leaving weeks later with smiles and with a hope they haven’t had in a long time. For me, it makes the pain of my past worth getting here.
If anyone out there is feeling desperate, hopeless, or helpless please reach out for help. Call or text Focus Treatment Centers at 423-308-2560. We can talk to you about treatment with us or even help find other options. Don’t lose hope – recovery is possible.”