Acceptance

I’m Scott and I live on the north side of Chicago.

I spend my time either working or volunteering. As I get older I spend less time in the bars.

When I first came out and moved to Chicago, I would go out and drink socially. As time went on, I met more people and started to get involved in the bar scene. This is when I made the discovery into the world of drugs. It was there that I found a social network of people and felt a sense of acceptance.

My friends consider me a prude when it comes to most things but when I would go on a binge; I was like Mr. Hyde on TINA (meth). The damage I would do in a few days was incredible! I could easily blow through a paycheck, breakup with my boyfriend and lose a job all in one setting.

My friends and family could see what was happening. They encouraged me to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). I associated AA with cheesy afterschool specials and I didn’t want to participate. I continued to go on binges and ended up in every detox facility in Chicago. I finally decided to go to a meeting and it is working for me.

I am not the poster child for recovery. Slipping is very much a reality in the recovery process. Today, I am 6 months sober and it has definitely been a hard road. The fact that I can get up and keep blazing forward is enough for me.

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