Early Encounter with Alcoholism and Abuse
Mari had a difficult childhood with a father suffering from alcoholism and a mother who didn’t understand what alcoholism was. Her parents were abusive, to each other and the children. They didn’t talk about secrets in her family, and she was silenced by this dynamic—unheard and not allowed to voice her opinion.
So, Mari grew up feeling closed off and withdrawn. She left home at the young and vulnerable age of twelve, which is when she started drinking. At eighteen, Mari had started to use drugs.
She wasn’t taught to love and care for herself by her parents and, sadly, she didn’t think or feel that she was worthy of anything.
Guardian Angel Guides Mari to Recovery
Mari got married and had children, but her marriage failed, and her kids didn’t respect her. She was letting them down with her substance abuse. Mari had been to meetings and learned about the 12-step program, sponsors and recovery before, but she never fully commit to getting clean and sober.
In the end of her addiction, life wasn’t functional and didn’t have meaning to her. She would binge on Alcohol and drugs, sleep it off and then go back to work. She didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin; she didn’t know who she was anymore.
This is when Mari made a leap of faith.
She made a call that changed her life forever and asked for help. Her previous sponsor, Ayala, had died of cancer, but Mari felt her presence watching over like a guardian angel. She saw Ayala throughout her journey to recovery, and this gave her faith that she was in the right place.
One of the women working at the detox house that Mari went to was named Marina Yala, who helped her get through. The day Mari saw a lot of girls whose pants said ‘pink’ on them the day she walked into the house—she thought of Ayala, whose nickname had been ‘Pinky.’
Helping Others Find Themselves in Recovery
After getting through the challenges of early recovery, Mari has emerged a new person. She has passion to help others through their own journeys to sobriety. She sees the value that her life holds and believes that she is worthy of that life.
Mari wants everyone who is struggling with addiction to know that sobriety is possible for them. Many people out there believe there is no hope and that life isn’t worth living anymore, but Mari urges that this isn’t true. She is living proof of it. The most rewarding thing she has experienced in recovery is witnessing the positive change in others as they get their lives back the way that she did.
If you are feeling hopeless or like life isn’t worth living and are using drugs or Alcohol to feel okay, there is a guardian angel out there for you. Tons of people out there want to help you get through this difficult challenge. Make the call that will change your life forever, at (866) 578-7471, to speak with someone about taking your first steps in recovery.
