Jane’s Recovery Story

Re-discovering True Friendship through Recovery

My name is Jane and this my story, told from the perspective of a friend I recently made after pursuing my own recovery. Sometimes, I can’t believe how far I’ve come. It’s good to have a trusted friend remind me by sharing my experience with others…

Emily Tells Jane’s Story

You know them. The best pals who have long been drinking buddies. So long, in fact, that neither of them recognizes the problem within themselves or their friend.

Instead of a fun treat, happy hour is a daily event, and often starts earlier and earlier. The focus is never on alcohol-free fun or investing in self-care. No. The benchmark of a good time is always booze.

And it seems there is never enough of it to satisfy either of these two.

As the saying goes, when it comes to alcohol addiction, “One drink is too many and a million is never enough.”

It’s a miserable cycle, but, to borrow another expression, “Misery loves company.”

When Company Decides to Part Ways

Of course, the bottom was bound to drop somewhere. In this case, Jane finally had enough. Her drinking was compromising her better judgement and she found herself cycling through the wrong relationships, which damaged her self-esteem. Not surprisingly, this lead to more drinking and poor choices. Her failure to advance at work, due to her constantly foggy haze, turned into a bigger issue the day she showed up for duty – drunk.

Unemployed and alone (except for her drinking buddy, Emily), Jane could no longer deny it: a change was in order. She decided to seek help, even if that meant abandoning her so-called friend.

Real Friendship Found in Recovery

Finding the right treatment plan was Jane’s new priority. What a change, compared to the old target, which was always cocktails. With her new destination now a recovery center and not a bar, this brave friend embarked on her new journey. Dedicated to clearer eyes, Jane began her new chapter with a better awareness.

It takes a brave person to recognize a problem and commit to fixing it. Fortunately, Jane was able to channel the courage needed to walk through the doors of the treatment center, and open up to others who had their own stories to share.

Strength in Numbers

Bolstered by the bravery of those around her, and her own inner strength, Jane battled her demons and won. Supported by the new friends she made on her road to recovery, Jane marched forward and found a new kind of freedom. And the financial rewards followed. With glowing endorsements from her sponsor and new colleagues, Jane was able to secure new employment, that exceeded all prior jobs she had ever held in the past.

Fueled by her newfound sobriety, Jane gifted herself the life – and friendships – she really deserved.

Grateful to her sponsor, her friends, and her resolve to commit to self-care, Jane was able to change her story and recognize the real meaning of friendship.

Are you struggling with a similar situation or find yourself in a complicated friendship? If you’re not sure, check out this High Watch Recovery survey, which shows that problems with alcohol and addiction often start long before we realize it. Take the quiz provided by High Watch Recovery and see whether alcohol consumption proves problematic in your daily life.