When Rita speaks of her sobriety date, there’s a hint of amazement in her voice. Having attended treatment 14 times, she’s proud and pleased to say, “I’ve been sober since October 11, 2022.”
Rita has struggled with addiction since she was a child.
“I had vodka stashed under my bed by age 11. I wasn’t a big lover of myself when I was a kid. I knew the feeling alcohol gave me and I liked it.”
She recalls the story of when she took what she suspected was one of her mother’s Valium.
“I went to school and hurt myself after I fell off a chair, and my mom was called. We never spoke about the incident again,” said Rita. “When my mental health issues started popping up when I was a teen, my family thought it was all in my head and nothing was done about it. This was due to their lack of education and acceptance.”
For the decades that followed, Rita would repeat the cycle of addiction – substance abuse followed by short periods of abstinence.
“I was called a habitual relapser. I got to a point where I was no longer human; I was a creature. I was emaciated. I couldn’t put a sentence together and was very scattered,” she explains.
When Rita began treatment at Renascent Graham Munro Centre (Munro Centre), she was afraid that her cycle of relapse would continue.
“In a way, that’s how recovery always started for me – by going through the motions. That’s all I knew,” shared Rita, honestly. “I think I was finally truly ready when I went to Renascent. This time I went to treatment for myself. I dug deep while I was there.”
Rita found her time at Renascent very helpful. She enjoyed having a homelike environment in which to recover, and found the meals and staff were excellent.
“I learned about communicating effectively at Renascent, instead of just reacting. I learned about tapping and found that to be helpful as well.”
After leaving Renascent, Rita enjoyed recovery but had a four-day relapse which spurred her to attend Renascent’s Virtual Intensive Treatment Program. Through it, she was able to attend group and individual counselling online while focusing on her recovery at home.
“In between my time at Munro Centre and virtual treatment, I relapsed for a short time. I hit my low pretty quickly; within a matter of days,” says Rita. “A friend suggested that I try Renascent’s virtual program. I liked it because I was able to learn in my own environment. I was learning the skills I needed to stay in recovery on my terms. That was huge for me.”
Today, Rita’s life remains focused on recovery. Having a deeper understanding of her mental health challenges, Rita attends a concurrent disorders group regularly, works with a sponsor, and has returned to her creative nature.
“I paint with bees wax and I love it. I was a hairdresser for 30 years and I miss being creative. Painting and playing with different mediums allows me creativity,” shares Rita. “I love looking forward to spending time with my daughters. I have a great cat, and great friends. I also have a fantastic chosen family.”
When asked about the advice she’d give to people who are new to recovery, here’s what Rita said: “It’s important to find your tribe if you want to stay sober. Whether it is AA, OA, or some other organization, it’s good for people to connect with like-minded people. When I was using, I liked to isolate. Getting out of my head and apartment has been tremendously helpful.”
Rita adds, “Recovery is a selfish program. You have to be selfish about your recovery. Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship you have. To thine own self be true.”