Personal Stories & Accounts

5/2/2024 – I crashed my car and wound up on crutches with bruised ribs and an even more bruised ego. Nothing was coming to save me. Not time. Not luck. Not another apology. Not another promise. I’ve been asked if that was my rock bottom. Honestly, I don’t know. I called Mountainside the next day. […]

When I was asked to write this column, I was a little taken aback. Me? How could I possibly be asked to write something that is supposed to inspire people in recovery? A little over six months ago, I would have told you that I would never be “in recovery” because I didn’t have a […]

An author who is in recovery shares a multi-year personal story about their connection with an unhoused veteran struggling with addiction at Union Station. Over the years, the author offered nonjudgmental support and conversation that provided the man with inspiration and hope, even through several setbacks and relapses. The article concludes with the man achieving […]

Alcohol took me to a really low place. I was a real hopeless alcoholic. I didn’t like who I was. I felt stuck and lost most of the time. My relationships were broken or falling apart, and I didn’t really see a future for myself. I was just going through the motions without much direction […]

When I walked into Mountainside for the first time, I was overwhelmed with shame and uncertainty. I didn’t really understand what recovery was, and if I’m being honest, I wasn’t fully committed to it yet. This wasn’t the way that my life was supposed to go, but I also knew I couldn’t keep living the […]

Summertime is when we think of being active, outward, uplifted, and having fun. It’s a time to get outside by camping, hiking, swimming, attending outdoor concerts, and those amazing road trips with soundtracks of our lives playing right along with us. We tend to eat more naturally by having beautiful fruits and garden vegetables, visiting […]

My name is Lloyd, and I’m a gay male addict in recovery. While I’ve always been gay, I haven’t always been in recovery! According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) often face social stigma, discrimination, and other challenges not encountered by people who identify as […]

Let’s face it. I’m a crystal meth addict. Before I got sober, there was nothing about meditation that appealed to me. I thought that meditation belonged to the monks and the hippies. Even though I look like a reincarnated Tibetan monk and like to burn incense, I wasn’t interested. But when I got sober, I […]

I always wanted to change. Change who I am, how I am, how I act. I used to see a girl in a movie – or walking down the street – looking happy, comfortable. I imagined that she had always been treated kindly, cared for, and probably had a lovably overprotective dad. I’d imagine all […]

Ezra overdosed on marijuana but still continued to use the drug. Learn how he found sobriety, became an AA supporter, and is living a life he never thought possible.

After losing her loved one to an overdose, Chelsea wanted to get sober but didn’t know how. Chelsea shares how she found recovery at Mountainside and all the gifts that came alone with it.

Ricky is 25 years sober. He has a kind heart, and a warm personality and is always willing to help people. But it wasn't always this way. Here's his story.