‘The Addict’s Diary’: 30 Powerful Before & After Transformations Of Drug Addicts (New Stories)

18 months ago, the internet was making fun of the mugshot of Mighty Ducks star Shaun Weiss. Today, Shaun graduated drug court and has 18 months clean and sober. The problem is, you won’t see this shared as many times as his downfall. Let’s try and change that!

"How about that for motivation? I honestly thought I'd die on a park bench with a needle in my arm or by gunshot to the head. I would've never in a million years thought my life would look the way it does today.
Stop selling yourself short. You don't know what tomorrow might bring so you might consider starting today."

From a 98lb crystal meth addict doing the unthinkable to fuel my addiction, escaping jail just to get high and becoming a fugitive on Hawaii’s Most Wanted I hit rock bottom and my future seemed doomed. Everyone gave up on me including myself. Because of my crimes that were fueled by my crystal meth addiction I ended up doing 10 years in a high custody prison. I am free going on 7 years and I now own my own business and I’ve become a motivational speaker. In my 7 years of freedom I spoke to over 150 schools and when I speak to these kids I share with them the dangers of drugs and incarceration. I share my haunting past to influence them to make the right choices. If I can save 1 child from not doing drugs my mission is a success. My name is Kyle and this is my COMEBACK.

Heroin destroyed my life. From the moment I tried it I was hooked. All I cared about was getting that warm rush. I didn’t care about what I looked like, or who I was hurting. I didn’t even care about myself. Two months ago I went to treatment and now I’m in a sober living. Today, I have 53 days sober— and I am thriving. I feel so much happier without the chaos drugs brought into my life!

My story isn’t uncommon. Several surgeries led to a raging opiate pain medication addiction that ruled my world for 12 years. I watched my entire life burn to the ground around me and everything I loved disappear.
I wanted to get clean but couldn’t stand the withdrawal. It took over a decade to realize that I could get clean, I just couldn’t get clean and be comfortable at the same time.
2/23/2016 was the last time I used opiates. There’s so much happiness in sobriety. Much love

We’ve been thru hell and back but my son has 6 months clean and I’m so proud of him.

My name Marilyn and I’m an addict. I struggled with crack cocaine addiction for most of my life. I have been in and out of institutions, jails, and prisons. I’ve been a prostitute. I’ve left my children. I stole from my family. On February 23, 2018 I lost my son. Then I lost myself.He was brutally murdered and I lost myself. For 33 years I just wanted one more hit. For 33 years it was always, “I’ll get help tomorrow.” On March 23, 2021 I finally had enough and went into treatment. I could not take the pain of degrading myself one more second. I surrendered and gave it all to God. Today, I allow him to lead and guide me. Today, I live in a sober living environment. Today, I work the steps. Today, I have a sponsor and I talk about my problems. Today, I live life on life’s terms without the use of drugs. Today, I am 124 days clean.

Five years ago today, I knew the war was over. The drugs had won, and I had lost.... everything.
I surrendered and chose recovery. I found a new way to live. Thank you God for this beautiful life.
We can and we do recover.

I am never looking back. Thank God for recovery!

For 15 years all I cared about was getting high. I I lost custody of my children, was arrested, and found myself homeless in the end. After many failed attempts at treatment in 2016 something stuck. Today makes 5 years clean for me! Recovery has given me the opportunity to go from a meth addict to a productive member of society working in healthcare.

Hi my name is Ryan and I have been to 30 plus treatments and detox’s, 10 overdoses, long term mandated therapeutic alternative to prison, jails, kidney failure and dialysis in the icu for 22 days and 3 major surgeries after nodding out on my arm and leg for 13 hours. Today I have 6 months sober. I swear if I can do it you can. Never give up. Who cares what they say.

My name is Nick and I am an addict. I spent a long time trapped inside the cage of addiction and I never thought I would be able to pull myself out. I was hopeless, broke, lonely and sometimes homeless. I lost everything to this disease. My father committed suicide a year and a half ago and after that I didn’t want to live anymore. After I lost my dad I just kept losing and losing until I had nothing left to lose. I was beaten down, weak and desperate for a better life. I left my life in NJ behind and started a new one in South Florida. Next week I’ll have a year sober. Today I have my family back in my life, my nieces and nephews who are so happy I’m doing better, a sober woman who loves me, a great career doing what I love and most of all i am sober, and happy. Recovery is possible though the steps, hard work and dedication. If you are struggling and think there is no way out, just take a look at me, there is hope and there is a way out. Sobriety was the best thing I could ever do for myself.

My name is Jess and I am an addict. I struggled with meth for 5 years. I thought I had no hope. I destroyed my body for a peace of mind I never got. But God seen fit to pull me out of the darkness and I have been sober since December 19, 2019. I get to live a life I never dreamed was possible for me! Life is so beautiful today and I’m even grateful for my past because I can use it to help other women recover! I went from “I want to die” to “let me show you another way of life!”
Thank you for letting me share my story!

My name is Bryan, and I’m an addict. Like most people I started with OxyContin. Where I lived we called it “hillbilly heroin.” Once they cut the pill mills off I fell even further down, and so began my 15 year heroin addiction. I was once married with a family and a home, heroin took that from me. I’ve been incarcerated multiple times in multiple states. I pushed my parents away. I’ve overdosed multiple times. And in the end—I didn’t care if I lived or died. Out of desperation I decided to try treatment again. I went against my own sick know it all type of thinking for once. I got into fitness. I worked on building up my mind, my body, and most importantly my spirit. I’m proud to say I have 6 months clean now. My parents are back in my life, and I’m learning to love Bryan again.

60 days clean off Fentanyl, can I get an Amen?

I started doing drugs when I was 14. Then years later is when I started going to the doctor for anxiety & back pain, I was prescribed lortab & colozapam, that's when I got strung out & my doctor finally cut me off. Me & my kids living situation went downhill & we ended up with nowhere to live so I ended having to let them go live with their grandmother until I got stable but that didn't happen, I was so lost being without my kids that I handled it the only way that I knew how to at the time, I used drugs all the time to numb myself from everything that was going on around me, I almost died when I was 25 years old from drugs but that wasn't enough to wake me up, things just got worse, I started using meth (iv user) & all the pills that I could find & buy off the street, I was drunk alot too when I couldn't find anything else. I was still miserable & depressed & everything that was going on was still there at the end of everyday, I decided 3 years ago to be present in my life & my children's lives, I found sobriety & things really started happening for me when I got sober, my life started getting better & better, I love my life today, I married the love of my life & get to spend time with my kids & I get to have them come stay with me all the time & I have a step baby that I love like my own, I have a family, a job, a nice car & a cute little house, I'm so blessed & I thank God that i made it out of addiction alive.

I celebrated my first 365 ever yesterday! I have literally been trying for over four years to get a a year of continuous sobriety. This past year, I've paid off my debt, saved money, bought a car, and got my own place. These things haven't kept me sober but the peace and serenity that I've found has. This next year I have new goals... I want to enjoy life to the fullest, take walks, hang out more with friends and family, read books, practice meditation, get a sponsee through the steps, etc etc. My goal is to stop and smell the roses and find gratitude in the little things. I want to remember each day how good life is now!

Want to see the miracles God can perform? Just look at the proof in these pictures!
Years of addiction, homelessness and pain! Now, 4 months of recovery and Jesus!

For decades, my life was a blur of abusive relationships, prisons, and drugs. It wasn't until October 24, 2016 that I left Texas and went to South Carolina. This is where my higher power, whom I call God, was able to get my attention. I was praying asking God for a Godly man. I wanted him to be a biker and I wanted him to treat me just half as good as my dad did my mom. My life changed so much at that point. I met my husband to be April 14, 2017. We found a place together and actually moved here to Indiana where I was raised. On Aug 22, 2020 we became husband and wife. My life is good all thanks to my higher power and my support people. We're going to be moving back to South Carolina where I'll start going to Celebrate Recovery. Thank you for letting me share a short version of my story. I hope to write a book telling my whole story. Any questions, please feel free to comment. Remember you are loved and life is awesome without drugs.

Hey my name is David and I’m an addict. I became addicted to Meth at the age of 19 and it drove my life into the ground. I lost a lot of friends due to my addiction and put stress on my family that never should of been. Climbing out of the hole I dug myself was a struggle but the reward of recovery has been amazing. The Addict’s Diary helped me see that life isn't always easy but giving up is never an option. I have 3 years clean now!