Sobriety Beyond Opioids: Why I Choose to Abstain from Alcohol

How a Near-Fatal Opioid Relapse led me to Abstain from Alcohol as well

Nine and a half years ago, I embarked on a journey of addiction recovery after a near fatal opioid overdose. When I first started on this path, I believed that overcoming opioids was the only goal I needed to achieve. Little did I know that other substances, including alcohol, could jeopardize my hard-won recovery. Today, I'd like to share the lessons I've learned on this journey and the reasons why I've chosen to abstain from alcohol as well as opioids.

My Struggle with Opioid Addiction

My life seemed to be on an upward trajectory and “normal”: I founded a technology company, graduated from Lehigh University, attended Brooklyn Law School at night, and was generally maintaining relationships.

However, beneath the surface, I was struggling with an opioid addiction. I was convinced that if I could just stop or moderate my opioid use, everything would be okay. 

"Normal" Drinking Without Consequences Proved Difficult for me 

When I first sought help for my addiction, an addiction psychiatrist warned me that drinking alcohol and using other drugs would affect the same pathways in my brain as opioids. They cautioned that returning to any substance use would likely lead to a relapse with opioids.

Unfortunately, I didn't take this advice to heart. My drinking, which I didn’t consider problematic, eventually led back to marijuana, and eventually to a relapse on opioids, just as the psychiatrist had predicted. 

This relapse resulted in a near fatal overdose, although, at the time I wasn’t yet convinced that I needed to abstain from all substances, or that it was even something that was possible for me.  I went from the hospital straight to an inpatient rehab facility. 

Recovery after Treatment

After leaving treatment, I initially believed that I would eventually return to drinking like a "normal" person once I was sober for enough time for people to forget about my overdose. 

However, as the months passed and I continued to rebuild my life, I realized that even if I could drink like a "normal" person, the risk to my recovery, even if it was small, was simply to great and just not worth it. After all, the penalty for being wrong in my case is likely death.

I had regained so much by the end of my first year of sobriety and had so much to lose: my family, my business, and most importantly my newfound sense of self.

Why I Haven’t Returned to Any Substances after Almost a Decade

My personal experience, and witnessing the experience of others, has taught me that the path of recovery is a continuous journey, one that requires vigilance and dedication to maintaining sobriety, but also results in a more meaningful and fulfilling life than I could have ever imagined. 

The cornerstone that enables me to meet my maximum potential is abstaining from all substances including alcohol and opioids.

In honor of Alcohol Awareness Month, I share my story to highlight the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of substance use and my experience with the risks of returning to other non-preferred substances, including alcohol, after struggling with addiction. 

By choosing complete abstinence, I safeguard the progress I've made and ensure that I continue to live a fulfilling, sober life.