This is the story of Maddie, who started drinking alcohol at the age of 14. At first, she wasn’t addicted, but after a rough experience of drinking too much at a party and getting very sick, alcohol slowly became a part of her life. She was helped by an upperclassman who later became her boyfriend. Maddie grew up in a family where her father struggled with alcoholism, which influenced her own relationship with drinking. Throughout high school, she frequently partied and drank, even having a close call with the police after a night out. However, for a time, Maddie found a healthier path through cheerleading, which gave her purpose and community. Unfortunately, due to financial pressures in college, she had to give up cheerleading and eventually fell back into old habits. Her story reflects how difficult it can be for young people to overcome addiction and the importance of support, healthy distractions, and opportunities.
This story is a powerful and honest reflection of someone’s journey through alcohol addiction, starting from a young age while working in the service industry. Despite having a stable life and no major trauma, she found herself deeply drawn to the feeling of being out of control, which alcohol gave her. Over time, this led to serious consequences, including a DUI at 19, dangerous behavior, and eventually losing a job she loved. What stands out is her self-awareness and courage to speak openly about her struggles—not to glorify them, but to help others recognize the patterns and realize that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of their background. Her story is a reminder that recovery requires not just strength, but also honesty with oneself and a willingness to break away from environments that enable harmful behavior.
This is the story of a woman who slowly lost her career, relationships, and health due to her addiction to alcohol. After being arrested twice for driving while intoxicated (DWI), the heartbreak of getting fired from a job she loved pushed her deeper into drinking. Despite multiple red flags—legal troubles, hospital visits, and even jail time—she couldn’t stop. Her close friend and former roommate, who struggled with the same addiction, eventually died from liver failure caused by alcohol. That loss hit her hard, filling her with guilt, grief, and a sobering realization of how dangerous her path had become. It was a devastating wake-up call that made her begin to reflect deeply on her choices and the life she still had a chance to reclaim.
After returning from Detroit, I was confronted by my boyfriend’s ex-wife at the airport, who accused me of sleeping with him during the trip. I stayed silent and walked away, refusing to engage. Their relationship had always been toxic—she had a history of domestic violence and eventually stabbed him with sewing scissors during a fight. Despite all this, I moved in with him. Around this time, my alcohol addiction worsened, and I began getting extremely sick—vomiting for days, unable to eat or keep fluids down. After a hospital visit, I was diagnosed with alcoholic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition from heavy drinking without eating. Though I continued drinking, I relied on hospital visits to “fix” me. Eventually, a former manager who believed in me offered me a job at a liquor company, giving me a glimpse of stability and hope. Despite still struggling with alcohol, I began to see the possibility of rebuilding my life.
As she tried to manage her alcoholism and hold down a new job at Specs, things began to unravel. Despite doing well at first, her health deteriorated, and she started missing work due to constant sickness from drinking. When her boss Bonnie confronted her about a serious meeting, she spiraled and attempted to take her life the night before. Instead of firing her, Bonnie encouraged her to get help, and with financial support from her partner Max, she entered a rehab facility. There, she spent 28 transformative days, finding clarity, healing, and even inspiration for a tattoo marking her sobriety date—October 22, 2021. After leaving treatment, she returned to work more determined than ever, boosting her monthly sales significantly and staying sober. However, a year later, she began battling severe depression. She tried multiple therapies, including Vivitrol injections and TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), which initially helped but later triggered paranoia and mania. Her mental health deteriorated again, leading her to lose her job. Eventually, in April 2023, she checked into a mental health facility where she was diagnosed with acute mania, severe depression, and anxiety. Though the experience was difficult, it marked another turning point in her journey toward stability.