From Routine Drinking to Desperation

For Justin L., alcohol started as a way to numb trauma.

“It became part of my life—I didn’t know anything else,” he recalled.

As he entered his late 30s and became a father, Justin promised himself he would quit for his children. Yet he found he couldn’t stop, realizing he was physically present but emotionally absent.

“I’d look back at pictures on Facebook with my kids at ages two or three,” he said, “and I had no memory of those moments.”

A Scare and a Second Chance

Justin researched treatment centers and was drawn to Swift River because of its reputation and setting.

“I was scared to death when I first got there,” he said. Early in his stay, an alumni speaker shared a story that lit a spark. “That guy talked about how he sat right where I was sitting,” Justin recalled, “and now he was out there living the life I dreamed of.”

After treatment, he poured himself into carpentry.

“I always thought I couldn’t do it,” he said. “But once I got sober, I just put my head down and realized, ‘I can do this.’” Carpentry became his healthy addiction—an avenue to channel energy once spent on drinking.

Facing New Challenges

Sober for nearly two years, Justin relapsed following two tragic deaths in his close circle.

“I went right back to what I knew: numbing with alcohol,” he said. By chance, he ran into Swift River staffers at a local fair where they had a booth right next to his. “I was walking around with a lemonade cup full of beer, and I saw them,” he said. “It felt like a sign that I needed to go back.”

He returned to Swift River determined to dig deeper and learn from past mistakes.

“The second time made me realize I can’t just get sober—I have to stay active in my recovery every day,” he said. Today, he’s thriving in his carpentry work, bringing his children to the shop to learn skills and spend quality time.

Get Help Today

Ready to lay the foundation for a sober life? Call Swift River at 888-451-5895. Located in Western Massachusetts, Swift River offers a compassionate and comprehensive approach to recovery, empowering you to rebuild your future one day at a time.