My name is Michael. I am a 54 year old male who has lived in Salt Lake City all of my 54 years. I'm also a recovering alcoholic; a very grateful recovering alcoholic!
At the age of 23 years I began what immediately turned into a daily use of drugs and alcohol. I was married, soon to have two wonderful children, employed in a profession that was stressful but non-the-less rewarding both mentally and financially. I had obtained the ideal American life-style. Everything in my life was good except one thing--my increasing addiction to drugs and alcohol. Eventually that dependence would cost me everything. First I lost my wife and my family. I was fired, rehired, fired four times from my job of twenty years. My drinking and drug use was now a twenty-four hour project. I was arrested twice in 30 days for driving under the influence of alcohol and drug possession (although I had done the same thing on many, many occasions). Physically, I had suffered from a heart attack, chronic stomach ailments, liver damage and severe depression as a result of my use. In the end I began having hallucinations and when I did attempt to quit the pain was so severe that I had no will to go through with it. I sought help from three different treatment centers, all ending up in failure. I felt as though nothing on earth could save me from my own destruction.
A friend of mine told me of a United Way funded treatment center that had a high success rate for people like me. That place was the Haven. I was accepted at the Haven and stayed in treatment 97 days. While there, I learned about my addiction and the tools I needed to break that addiction. More importantly, I learned about me. The counselors helped me recognize things about my character that was part of my unhappiness. I was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous and the fellowship of men and women who shared my problem. I realized that there was hope for me after all.
Today, I have 18 months of sobriety. I work with people who share my disease and I try to make a difference in their lives. I am an active member of A.A. I have found the happiness I lost a long time ago. Because of United Way and its funding of places like the Haven I am once again a useful, happy member of my community.
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