Living a life free of drugs and alcohol was something that Libby had never imagined for herself.
But since March 10, 2012, Libby has been doing just that, and she says life has never been better. For the first time since she can remember, Libby is living with a profound purpose. Her new life revolves around caring for and helping other people, building relationships with her family, and spending time with friends who love her for who she is and not what she has to offer.
Libby’s substance use began when she was young. “It actually started for me as a child, because I was given a lot of prescription drugs in my young age,” says Libby. “I was always taught that you solve problems with pills, and things moved from there very quickly to marijuana and cocaine.”
Her drug use continued through the years and it took a toll on her body. When Libby went to see a doctor, she was told, “If you don’t stop what you’re doing you’re going to be dead before you’re 30.” While that was a wakeup call, it wasn’t enough for her to stop entirely. In fact, she says, “It still took months of struggling after that, with trips to the emergency room and all kinds of horrible things happening to my body – I was terrified I was going to die.”
Eventually, she hit rock bottom. “I had nothing left. I didn’t have a home, I didn’t have friends. I realized that I couldn’t do this on my own,” she says. Libby checked herself into a treatment facility near her home and took her first step toward recovery.
Now fully embracing sobriety, Libby is a role model to others in recovery and to those who are struggling with addiction. “I think the best piece of advice I can give is to just keep pressing forward no matter what,” she says. “Because you’re never going to know how amazing your life can be and how much better it can be unless you truly give sobriety a shot.”
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Over the next few weeks, we will share stories of hope and recovery as part of the #ThisisSober campaign. Those featured were gracious enough to share a piece of their journey and what their life looks like today. We hope these stories offer encouragement and inspiration to anyone facing some of the same issues.
If you have your own sober story, please share it with us and join in the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ThisisSober. This will help spark important conversations, allow others to understand addiction and sobriety, and encourage others to get help that can make all the difference in their lives. Start by sharing Libby's story.
