I honestly did not think this would ever happen after approximately 30 years of drinking, the last 15 yrs heavily. I do believe if he hadn’t gone to Houghton House rehab when he did our family would not be together today. So a big thank you to everyone there, and to Andrew who runs the […]
My Story. It was September 11th, 2011, I sat in the passenger seat of my mom’s car as she drove me to rehab, watching the cars and people go by. I was so numb, so dead inside and yet two emotions kept on trying to surface – the idea that I wouldn’t have to fight anymore […]
It’s all about never wanting to chase your darkness, choosing to surrender and not give up …… Close your eyes! Hold your breath! Imagine you are in an elevator! No window! No air! It’s pitch black and you have NO idea how you are going to get out! Some people know this feeling and for […]
Eleven years of sobriety from being an alcoholic and the search for serenity and self-love. Today the 22nd of October 2017 is my birthday, my recovery birthday, eleven years of sobriety from being an alcoholic. When I spoke to Dy about writing something for the Houghton House website, we initially were going to do it […]
Recovering Addict finds “HOPE” from rehab in Joburg Hope Part 1 Love, Hate, Fear, Gambling, Sex and Addiction. This is my story of, after being admitted and finding hope from rehab in Joburg. From an early age, I never quite experienced much stability. At the age of 2, I was sent away to live with […]
Shameela T – An Addicts Journey Into Recovery from the Depths of her Addiction God, grant us knowledge that we may write according to your divine precepts. Instill in us servants of your will and grant us a bond of selflessness that this may truly be your work, not ours, in order that no addict, […]
Recovery from Addiction to Heroin Seven years of growth after seven years of hell. Today I celebrate my seven years living in the real world. It is a very different experience to living in active addiction. In active addiction, my best days are still worse than my worst days of sobriety. And believe me; life […]
Secrets Make You Sick – Recovery from Severe Crack Cocaine Addiction by: Trevor Kleinhans 11 Years ago exactly I was in the height of my addiction with crack cocaine. It was around this time that I opened my bedroom door and looked across at my 3 year old Jack Russell’s face and ran over to […]
Sarah’s* Manic Lifestyle on GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid) It’s an ongoing process – the party/club scene is always coming out with variations and new additions on a old theme – feel good and party drugs. We would attend private Ecstasy parties regularly, a select grouping from our party social circle, those who could handle the excessiveness of […]
Lindsay A’s Success Story of Overcoming Her 30 Years Addiction. My name is Lindsay Ackerman and I am a recovering addict. Before I start telling you all about my life, let me begin with the fact that I lived all my life unaware of the fact that I had an addiction, and that I was an addict. […]
22 Year Old Alcoholic That Has Become One Of The Many Youths Enjoying Sobriety I was born in Johannesburg in 1992. I am the middle child and was born into a well off family. I went to a nice school in Johannesburg, but my only memories were of me crying and being deeply sad at […]
Bronwen Smith’s Raw and Honest Story of her Recovery. My Life Story – Bronwen Smith (Experience-Strength-Hope – 18 Months – 04 June 2015) I’m Bronwen and I’m an addict. I’m going to take you on my life’s journey and hope you take something out of my share. I come from a loving, stable, secure family. […]
Four years ago I was in a sorry state. My partner was in active addiction and I was suffering and sick. I did not know what to do any more, I was overwhelmed and frightened. My ultimate fears were that I might make his addiction worse or if I asked him to get help he might choose […]
Nick N’s Fight For Survival from Addiction ‘I alone can do this but I cannot do this alone,’ says Nick, a recovering drug addict. “GOD, grant me the serenity to except the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference. My name is […]
How grateful I am to Houghton House. I will never be able to express it – 3 years ago I had given up hope on my sister. She was a shadow of her former self. She was lost – hollow, consumed by drugs and alcohol. I had given up on her. She had been to […]
Letter from a Father Of Addict In Recovery Dear Management of Houghton House, I am the father of Toni B – an” addict in recovery”… It is now almost 3 years that I faced the reality of my daughters addiction. I cannot believe that I, and of course my daughter, have come from the depths […]
Ritchie B’s Inspiring Recovery from Addiction Success Story I grew up mostly around my grandmother since my parents were travelling around looking for the best job placement my dad could get. It wasn’t an ambiguously glamorous job, he was a welder for a gas company that had plants all over Southern Africa. My parents did […]
An Addict In Recovery from Johannesburg Hi, My name is Clinton and I am an addict. I live in Johannesburg but spent a large part of my teens in the beautiful city of Cape Town. I have a loving mother who brought me up as a single parent for most of my youth, although I […]
Alcoholic/Addict’s Success Story I can’t actually remember my first drink. Alcohol was not a big issue in our family. I never saw my parents drunk or even a little tipsy. My first real experience with alcohol was the day I left school. I had the unfortunate experience of being in class with older boys but […]
Cat and Meth Addict’s Success Story I get up slowly and reach into my over sized and over used hand bag. My fingers pry for the decrepit cigarette box that has been lying in wait for the past 10 minutes. I’m back. I grab it and pull it out, feeling a sick excitement rise up […]
Glynis H’s Success Story – An Alcoholic Getting Sober Me? Alcoholic? Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t swear and shout and argue. Yes, I drink alcohol but only four percent wine. I’m not going to end up sleeping in the park. I’ve got a great life. I’m a good person. I have a lovely home and super […]
Derek M – Drug Addicts Success Story I was born and bred in Boksburg and was always the ‘problem child’. I went to the local primary school and high schools followed by a remedial school – not because I was remedial… just lazy![/intro] My dad was an accountant at a top mining house and he […]
A Bulimic Alcoholic Finds Recovery – Mary Anne C These days I refer to myself as not only a ‘recovering alcoholic’, but also a ‘recovering Catholic’. That doesn’t mean I am not a spiritual person. Religion has always fascinated me but I am more spiritual. As the middle of three children I can confirm that […]
Success Story Of a Mother to a Recovering CAT Addict They took her away in an unmarked police car and drove her away. She was calling wildly out of the window as they sped off. ‘Hurry, Mommy! Hurry!” I stood frozen. Why this? What now? But then, what had I expected? Surely I know all […]
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Success Story To Houghton House Addiction Recovery Centre, my home away from home that treated me for my alcohol and drug addiction, thank you for providing me with a safe and supportive home in my time of complete desperation and self-loathing. I also want to thank you for saving my […]
Meth Drug Addict, Road To Recovery I had a good upbringing and a happy childhood but as I got older I found I wanted more. I felt a bit different but that suited me – I wanted to be different. My older brother was the clever, smart, high-achieving one, so I decided to do just […]
Drugs and Alcohol Addict Recovery Story I attended some of the best schools in the country, including Michaelhouse, a private boarding school in KZN. When I was 9 years old we were struck by the tragedy of my father’s death. He had cancer and that most certainly had a tremendous impact on my life and […]
Drug Addiction Recovery Success Story At the age of 13 I started suffering from severe migraine headaches. Oral medication gave me no relief so my parents called out the family doctor, who would inject me with morphine or Pethidine. It all started very innocently. I was forced to leave school at the age of 16, […]
Alcohol Addiction Recovery Story My parents divorced when I was very young and my dad stayed in Johannesburg, while my brother and I moved around with my mom. Things were pretty good but it wasn’t always easy. As a child I loved working out at gym or doing karate. I was even a junior lifeguard […]
I thought that this was my cross to bear, and so I never told anyone about it. I thought that I could deal with all of life’s problems completely on my own. My false sense of independence – not being able to ask for help – would eventually lead me down the road of hopeless […]
Christina J. Drug Addiction Recovery Success Story My younger brother and I weren’t encouraged to express our emotions. What counted was going to the right schools, doing the right extra-mural activities and looking good. When I finished school I wanted to do hairdressing but my mom insisted that I go to university. I didn’t have […]
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