Joseph was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up in poverty with his mother after she and his father got divorced. He went through many trials and tribulations early in life. After many bouts of in-school suspension, it was recommended that his mother take him to see a doctor to determine if there is anything different about him. A doctor diagnosed him with ADD and he was immediately prescribed Ritalin. He was taking the medication before school and at lunch.
Joseph noticed that the medication seemed to mellow him out. His mother’s methods of positive reinforcement seemed to work. Joseph’s mother attempted to motivate him by giving him gifts and toys when he stayed well behaved. This seemed to keep him on track for some time.
Joseph wasn’t tempted to try marijuana when he was younger. His mother told him a story of her experience when she tried it. She told him about it made her lungs feel like they were on fire and that she was going to die. The story was scary enough to him that he didn’t have any desire to use.
As he got older, Joseph started hanging out with his sister and her boyfriend. He was exposed to marijuana use at a party. Joseph noticed that no one was having the same negative effects that his mother had described. After peers pressured him to try it, Joseph gave in and gave marijuana a try. This proved to be a poor choice because a after using it just one time he instantly wanted to do it more and more. It gave him the peace that he had never had in the past and he loved that it made him feel calmer and more focused.
Joseph’s Addiction Begins
Eventually, the marijuana use wasn’t enough for Joseph. He began to start drinking. He was stealing alcohol from his stepfather and refilling the bottles with water to try to hide his alcohol use.
The drug and alcohol use led to Joseph making more and more poor choices. The consequences of addiction slowly began to spiral his life out of control. He was arrested for bringing marijuana on school grounds and started shoplifting on a regular basis. While living in a trailer park with his mother, Joseph decided to try to get more money to support his habit by working with others in his neighborhood to steal the rims from a nice car parked near his home. The group took the rims to a local heroin dealer, sold them for heroin, money, and marijuana. Unfortunately, the rim theft was a set up and he was later arrested and charged with burglary and trafficking of stolen property at the young age of 12 years old. Joseph was found guilty of the charges and sent to Juvenile Hall.
Once he got out of Juvenile Hall, Joseph started using drugs again and eventually violated his probation. He was sent to a High Impact Substance Abuse Program three different times without having any success with sobriety.
Joseph was incarcerated many times between the ages of 12 and 16. He started lying to get the drugs that he wanted. He claimed that his stepfather beat him and at one point tricked psychiatrists that he had anxiety in order to gain access to the drugs that he loved so much.
Consequences of Addiction
Joseph was sent to the Youth Recovery Academy in an attempt to get him clean from drugs. He made a resolution to himself while he was in the facility that he was going to stop using drugs and only allow himself to enjoy drinking responsibly to avoid alcoholism.
Once he was released, he drank in hiding at first and soon began drinking more and more. His mother eventually found out that he was drinking and tried to motivate him in the only way she knew how. She made an agreement with him that if he continued to pass his drug tests, each week she would get him a six pack of beer after each test. This didn’t help his drug and alcohol addiction at all.
When Joseph tried to go back to school, he was so overwhelmed that he didn’t want to keep going. His mother allowed him to drop out and he then started going to UTI. While he was there, he started hanging out with the wrong people and began partying again. He started selling cocaine and eventually started using it. At 17, he was using cocaine, smoking crack and drinking.
Eventually he was called for a random drug test and failed. His mother started going to a group called PALS that’s designed to help families of addicts. His mother learned to set boundaries for him and gave him an ultimatum. He didn’t meet the stipulations and she left. He began shoplifting, committing fraud and doing anything that he could to get drugs. Eventually, his sisters were even addicted heroin.
A Better Way
After living under bridges in canals, Joseph realized that he had hit a low point in life. The consequences of addiction finally caught up to him in a big way. On December 1, 2009 Joseph went to meet his dealer at a local gas station where he was arrested by the police for previous acts of shoplifting, he had committed. He was sent to a complex in Florence, where he completed a 12-step program to get recovery from alcohol and drugs. Before being released in 2010, he wrote letters to everyone in his family. He got a letter from his father that explained that he needed to make a true change in his life if he was ever going to have a good life. The letter impacted him enough to go to a halfway house after his release.
Joseph reached out to his mom and was able to rebuild his relationship with her. He found out that had gotten remarried and was able to meet his new baby brother. His mother helped him by paying a few months of his rent to the halfway house and wished him good luck with his recovery. He had to follow the directions for the halfway house, get a job and become independent in order to stay there. He finally lost the desire to use.
Good things started to happen in his life once he got a hold of it. He was able to get his license and started his own vehicle repair business while he was still living in the halfway house. He was inspired to become the best son, friend, brother, husband and father that he could be.
Later, Joseph started Sanctuary Social Living which was a halfway house for others who are in the same situation that he was in. He’s also able to use his life experiences to motivate others to become sober and get the life that they deserve to live by working as a Volunteer for the Arizona Department of Corrections. He’s now living the life that he always wanted to live and is sober and happier than ever.
45 comments
Such an inspiring story. Thank you for sharing.
I must admit that i am a huge fan of such inspirations for getting back into life after realizing their mistake. Its actually not bad to realize own mistakes, because it helps to move forward successfully in life.
This is awesome, despite the challenges he was still able to overcome. Kudos to his caring mother. Thanks for sharing
I love to read about the people who actually go through such hardest phases of life because of some tragedy. In the end they get back to life by their strongest goodwill.
This is good to hear about Joseph. The rate of addicted people is on the high side. Above all, we have no excuse in life to live a negative life. Doing drugs and alcohol is a combo that is very deadly. Let us abstain from them all.
Joseph really had a traumatic experience with alcohol addiction. It’s simply perfect at last that he realized his mistakes by cutting short with addiction.
Incarceration at the age of 12 isn’t good at all. Sincerely, consequences of addiction ca never be enough and this is why people must be careful.
Thank you Detax to rehab for sharing these type of stories with all of us.These stories are really very much inspirational for many people.
I hate the fact that he allowed himself to be influenced by peer pressure and ignored his mums warning.. suffering the consequences was bad e enough..thank God he reached out to his mama and took steps to live a clean life..thanks for sharing
I really loved this story. we have no excuse in life to live a negative life. Doing drugs and alcohol is a combo that is very deadly. Alcohol are very harmful effects of our body.
The consequences of drug and alcohol addiction is enormous and innumerable due to so many things that may come up base on the victim’s health status. It is better to avoid it at all costs.
This is an inspiration story about Joseph. His story further proves that addiction has a lot of negative consequences but am happy for him for being able to find recovery.
This is a very touching story. Joseph life reaches a very low point after addiction. Glad he reached out to his mom and was able to use his experience to motivate others out of addiction.
The joy of this experience is that he was able to reunite with his mom. Thanks to Detox Rehab for their assistance in bringing him back to the society.
Congratulations Joseph for scaling through with addiction. You are one of my favorites warriors in the battle against substance abuse. Detox, keep doing good
This is a very pathetic story. Joseph suffered a lot through addiction but happy for him in the end for taking the path to recovery
Classic symptoms of addiction include poor control over the substance or behavior, preoccupation with the substance or behavior, and continued use despite the consequences. The habits and patterns associated with addiction are usually immediate gratification.
We can all relate to this. Where we found something that makes us feel good whatever it maybe that letting it go is hard. In his case it is addiction to the point that consequence does not matter. It takes a lot to get out of it.
Consequences of addiction isn’t comparable to anything. Though your story is pathetic but insightful.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It was so emotional and educative At the same time. Thank you man.
Marijuana is known as a starter for many addicts. It is where you even start to experiment other drugs.
Joseph’s story sounded like try one, get one more free. I’m happy he pulled through eventually. Stay blessed.
Just say no to drugs. If soemone offers you to try it, just day no. Nothing will hapoen if you do not try drugs.
The number of addict is on a high rise this days. Joseph is one example of how dangerous can be, but joseph has a way out, which is a way out for everyone.
That is one thing with drugs, just when you feel you are in control, that is when your desire increases. Despite Joseph’s use of different drugs, I am glad he went for treatment and desiring to be a better person.
Addiction make you make always make more bad decisions, making you loose more of the thing you loved most. Nothing good comes from doing drugs
Joseph story is inspiring. To want to get out of addiction after falling into it isn’t an easy task
Thank you Detax to rehab for sharing these types of stories with all of us. These stories are really very much inspirational for many people. Addiction makes you make always make more bad decisions, making you lose more of the thing you loved most. Nothing good comes from doing drugs.
Joseph sorry about all of that. Addictions can be mar one’s life we just have to abstain from drugs by all means
Sincerely Speaking, I’m moved and Inspired by Joseph’s experience.
Despite the fact that he went through a lot,He Recovered and Got a better Life.
Joseph we know that what we did always have consequence,so being sober is the best choice for life
His situation got bad each day he spared in the addiction. But, eventually he got to learn from his mistakes.
The consequences of addiction can’t be overemphasized. The rate at which people are addicted to one thing or the other is not good. Joseph’s story is one of it’s kind.
Consequences of addiction is very worse and harmful to the body. There are other better solutions to human problems than addiction.
Of course, the consequences of addiction can never be enough. To this effect, people should desist from using alcohol to solve anxiety and other problems.
Addiction destroys one’s life. Thank God Joseph was able to retrace his step back and learn from his mistakes.
Parents need to maintain healthy relationship in order to bring up their children very well. Divorce like Joseph parents may lead children into addiction. Addiction destroys and ruins one’s life generally.
What a happy ending story. Good mothers are rare gem. Once you have them, you treasure and cherish them. A good mother you have her Joseph. She did her best not to get you into drug and also help you to come out. Everything in excess ain’t good. Glad you came out of the addiction and have your life back on track. Continue to be good bro.
Consequences of addiction are enormous. Mo one can bear it. It is better not to engage in it.
Addiction to alcohol and drugs is destructive. Joseph’s story perhaps is very saddening. One thing I know is that , don’t start what will ruin your life and career.
The way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is. Background has a lot of effect on ones life. Joseph had a very rough beginning which later affected him.
Marijuana and alcohol are the fastest ways of ruining someone else’s life. Stay away from them. May God see us through.
This is a pathetic and touching story. However, it is cheering to note that he overcame his challenges. Indeed, abstinence is the best panacea to addiction.
The aftermath of addiction is harmful. However, drug addicts should desist from it for healthy living. However, it is noteworthy that the victim was able to overcome his addiction.
Wow, Joseph’s story is truly a remarkable one. Inspiring to say the least. What truly excites me is the personal decision reached by Joseph to stay sober and clean and it’s efficacy despite many failed attempts by others to get through to him.