My Struggle with Craving Sobriety...
My mom and I celebrating my 5 year sobriety anniversary
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"It's hard to believe that nine years ago, I was still in the hospital recovering from a severe overdose of alcohol and drugs. I was in a coma with sepsis for ten days and on life support. I faced multiple organ failure, which ultimately led to total kidney failure. For months, I had to undergo dialysis three times a week at the hospital. During that time, I developed a blood clot and pneumonia, had to have a lung drained, and struggled to walk.
I was miserable, consumed by drinking and partying. Even after my near death experience, it took me a while to reach the point where I truly craved sobriety. By sharing my story, I want to show how far perseverance can take you and inspire hope for those who are still struggling. On January 18th, 2026, I celebrated six years of sobriety with my family and my sober sisters in Christ, reflecting on the progress I've made. My mom reminds me that even with relapses, those sober days still count, emphasizing that recovery is a continuous journey worth celebrating. Currently I work for a mental health and rehab facility. In the past I was on the board of a non-profit, Armor Up Recovery Homes and Ministry. I served as house mom at their recovery home. I completed training to be a leader at Celebrate Recovery, and I am about to begin my journey preparing to be sober coach and certified addiction specialist. Every day, I prioritize God and recovery, and I assist others in their recovery journey. I absolutely LOVE my life and how it revolves around being sober and helping others. Thinking about drinking is literally non-existent now. I've had my ups and downs trying to navigate this new way of life and I'm so blessed to have the family I have that has been there for me every step of the way and wanted this life for me even when I didn't yet know I wanted it. God has blessed me and healed me completely from the inside out—spiritually, mentally, and physically. All I had to do was put in a fraction of the work because I worked so much harder at drinking and partying. The benefits have been life-changing and have literally changed me into the person God always meant for me to be. We can't do this alone, and I couldn't have done this without God, my family, (especially my mom, dad, and grandparents), my past employers, my sponsor, and my sobriety family. Thank you for being there for me and loving me while I learned to properly love myself and others. I am blessed beyond measure and eternally grateful! To learn more about my story and the stories of others, please follow Craving Sobriety's Facebook page, Instagram, and join our private Facebook group for those struggling with addiction (Coming soon) and podcast (Coming soon). Visit our sister site Thirsty 2 Thrive for all things related to mental health and contentment. May God bless you in all your endeavors and give you strength and peace, Paris Kelley "It's just a little red wine, I'll be fine Not like I wanna do this every night I've been good, don't I deserve it? I think I earned it, feels like it's worth it In my mind, mind Twisted reality, hopeless insanity I told you I was okay but I was lying I was dancing with the devil Out of control Almost made it to heaven It was closer than you know Playing with the enemy Gambling with my soul It's so hard to say no When you're dancing with the devil" Dancing with the Devil- Demi Lovato |
