Harmony Recovery has been providing addiction healthcare services in Estes Park since 1969. We would like to offer these stories from our alumni to show the humanity, strength, and perseverance of those working to recover from addiction. Often stigmatized and misunderstood by society, people on their path to recovery are managing a chronic illness which is a unique journey for each individual. Here is one such story. — Shane Hudson, CEO, Harmony Recovery

My story started in high school like most. Coming from a loving supportive family, never experienced a major trauma, my desire to fit in and lack of self-confidence led me to drugs and alcohol. What started as weekend fun in high school, almost ended my life 20 plus years later.

Towards the end of my time in active addiction I knew I needed help, but I didn’t know any other way of life. I was scared, and the thought of having to tell the truth about what I’d been doing was weighing heavy on me. Which led me to more use, a vicious cycle that had to end.

Finally, after an ultimatum from my personal counselor and getting honest with myself for the first time in my life and with support from friends and family, I walked into Harmony on 8/20/20. The next 28 days changed my life. I realized I’m not the only man who feels like I do, I realized that I do indeed need to be here, and I realized that this was going to be really hard. And it was, but I knew it was the right thing to do. From blue collar guys to the suit and tie professionals, we all walked through that door for the same reason. Our lives had become unmanageable.

I felt really confident upon release, and it didn’t take long for me to mess that up. Thankfully, I was already enrolled in an intensive outpatient program, but I failed the intake urinalysis. The following 3 months in that program started to teach me about holding myself accountable and I started to gain traction in sobriety. Learning a new way to live! It was then I began to set small sobriety goals and hold myself accountable and before I knew it, I had an honest 90 days sober. The addict in me wanted more of that good feeling and I was determined.

Almost 5 years since walking through the doors at Harmony I am still sober and consider myself extremely fortunate to be where I’m at, sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s not a dream. I continue to stay connected to the recovery community and try to pay it forward, because that’s how this works. Try to be the light for the next guy struggling like I was.

They talk a lot about the gifts of sobriety, and I can attest to some of them. From relationships, to finances, and personal health, my life has improved in all. I’ve earned the respect and trust back from loved ones and have been blessed with the title “Dad”, something I never thought would happen. All I had to do was be honest with myself all along. And that’s what I continue to do, one day at a time.