Stephen

TREATMENT CENTER RECIPIENT 

My anxiety was crippling. That’s all I was sure about. It reminded me of this joke I heard from a stand-up comedian. He said: “You know that feeling you get when you lean back in a chair too far and you ALMOST fall over? And then you CATCH YOURSELF JUST IN TIME!!” .“Yeah, I feel that way all the time.” That's how I felt. And I felt that way all the time. I also felt like if I didn’t do things, then nothing would ever get done right. I felt like I was the smartest. I felt like I worked the hardest. I felt like my way was the best way. I had courage, with little wisdom. I had loving relationships, yet I usually felt lonely. I had a strong belief in my Christian faith, yet I was not able to connect to anything resembling spiritual peace. I didn't trust anyone. If I wasn't anxious, I was depressed. I vacillated between anxiety and depression every single day and sleepless night. I had discovered long ago that alcohol cured all of it that. I had always drunk, however now I was drinking all the time. I was drinking whether I felt like it or not. I had crossed that invisible line where I went from wanting alcohol to actually needing alcohol to function. I was physically addicted and mentally obsessed with alcohol. I began drinking just about around the clock. I lost job after job, lost relationship after relationship, spent time in jail, spent endless hours in hospital emergency rooms. It was my last binge when a friend of mine visited me in the hospital and told me about an organization that is very successful in helping people with their alcohol problems. The next day I got a call from Kellie Plucinski, the founder of All For Recovery. Kellie explained what they were going to do for me and what I would be expected to do. They were going to place me in a rehabilitation program, and I was to call her once a week to check in and tell her how things were going. Kelly explained that I would learn about what my mind and body were going through and-- although at times it would be painstaking--I would feel much better very soon, and I would fully recover if I just followed certain steps. At the time, I remember thinking that it would take a miracle. Kellie would regularly tell me to expect that miracle--to expect a spiritual awakening. I'm not even through all the steps yet, and that's exactly what happened. As a direct result of All For Recovery's program and access to recovery treatment I was freed from my physical addiction to alcohol. My mental obsession was addressed by admitting that I was powerless over alcohol and that if I was to have peace and freedom, I would need to trust a power greater than myself. I learned what was causing my anxiety. It mostly involved unreasonable obsession about the future. I learned my depression was mostly discontentment with the past. Most importantly, I learned that I don't have to do everything by myself anymore. It's ok to ask for help. I've learned a new freedom can be reached by helping others. My life is different because of All for Recovery, and I'd like to let the people there know that I'm personally very grateful for all the help they've g