Something nice happened this evening. As I was watching my daughter drift off to sleep, trying to shake off the stale feelings inside of me that sometimes happen, my mind started to replay all of the wonders that have happened in my life, all the things that carried me to where...

After approximately 15 years of drinking and drugging, which landed me in trouble, in hospitals and closed many doors, I finally had enough and entered detox and a 28 day inpatient program. Not wanting to stop using but knowing all my problems stemmed from using, left me in a...

Another Annual FOA Rally under our belt and I can honestly say, “what a perfect day”! As a person in long-term recovery for over 11 years, praying is something I rely on to get me by. Every year I pray for a perfect day. “Perfect” is a matter of perspective. People think I mean...

Throughout my childhood, I never really had big dreams. I knew I wanted to be an athlete in high school, go to a good college, get married and eventually have kids. I was always organized and had a plan, but there were never any details involved. I figured if I could just hit...

Sal was born on April 11, 1984, two months premature. As my sister-in-law stated after his passing “he came into this world early and left early.” Sal was an absolute beautiful child with a heart of gold. He was truly an old soul.” If you met Sal once, you were his friend...

As the Anchorage Wellness Court recognized Catherine Adcock for her strides in addiction recovery, Deb Hageter watched from the back of the room. She stood to support her new friend. She’d triggered Catherine’s arrest years earlier. Deb, a pharmacist in Palmer, Alaska, made a...

I used to think drug addicts were uneducated people who stood on the street corners and begged for money and just didn't know any better. I learned that wasn't the case. I didn't become addicted overnight, but once addiction took ahold of me, my downward spiral was fast and...

I have struggled with a Substance Use Disorder from a very young age. I started drinking and smoking weed when I was 10 years old. I was being abused outside of my home and because my home life was so chaotic I didn’t have anyone I could turn to for help. My father was an addict...

My story starts 20 years ago, when I was 10 or 11 years old. I remember this feeling of being inadequate, that I was never be good enough, smart enough, etc. I have always held myself to a standard and felt that somehow I needed to be punished. So, as drugs were introduced to me...