In March of 2013, I managed to acquire a handful of Xanax, Klonopin, and Lortab. I stretched the pills out over a few days, during which my mood improved just enough to reach out for help. I emailed Michael B., a close friend of mine who had recently become employed in the drug rehab industry; if anyone could help me find a free or cheap detox, it was him.
I was relieved to learn a few days later that Michael had been talking to family members about getting me some help. An immense weight lifted from my shoulders as something other than another suicide attempt seemed possible in the foreseeable future. He mentioned Discovery Place and gave me the phone number to Admissions, which I was instructed to call as soon as possible. And I did.
April 6, 2013 was the day things started to change. I knew I’d be admitted that afternoon at Discovery Place for what would be my fifth stint in drug rehab, and I had saved a single serving as an eye-opener: an airplane bottle of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. We had a family meeting later in the morning. Although I was greatly relieved in knowing I was about to get help (yet again), these family meetings by nature are not pleasant, so I remain grateful to my friend Michael for facilitating it.
Although quite a burden had been lifted as soon as I realized I was bound for drug rehab at Discovery Place, I did not feel at home there until a few days had passed. Caught in the midst of my fear of people, my general disgust with life, and my jaded attitude towards twelve-steppery as a Discovery Place, TNwhole, I did as little socializing as possible. Fortunately for me, isolating myself socially at Discovery Place — the way I was used to doing at home, at least — would require something akin to sociopathy, so within the first few days of entering the 30-day residential recovery program I was comfortably in the recovery groove. Within two weeks, I was soaking it all in and taking advantage of all the experience, strength, and hope Discovery Place staff and volunteers could offer — especially those I’d come to find were virtual spiritual mystics. Having left the church many moons ago, I was also quite relieved to find tolerance of diverse religious and spiritual views.
By the time I had commenced from the 30-day program and entered the long-term recovery program at Discovery Place, I was sharing about how happy I was to have been reintroduced to recovery, even after having sworn years before that I’d never do the 12-step dance again. Today — six months clean & sober, residing in a sober living house in Dickson, and gainfully employed for the first time in years (at Discovery Place, to boot!) — I am incredibly grateful in knowing that sobriety is the best possible gift I could have received from my family & the Discovery Place staff and volunteers.