Sobriety can be a difficult conversation for those dealing with the emotional and physically taxing process on a daily basis.
The men and women below were brave enough to share their photos and stories on the Reddit group r/StopDrinking. Each post helps inspire others to find the same level of success with their own struggles.
It can be all too easy for someone who feels like they've hit rock bottom to believe there's no way to climb back out again. Seeing undeniable proof and hearing encouraging words — even from a stranger in an online community — can make all the difference.
If you or someone you know needs help finding a way back to sobriety, you can check out the r/StopDrinking thread or contact the American Addiction Centers hotline at 1-877-734-8933.
Take a look at the incredible folks below who turned their lives around after giving up alcohol for good.
And don't forget to SHARE their inspiring stories with your friends and loved ones on Facebook!
1.
I am a chef by trade so I am constantly around food so munching was what I did to “cure” the hangover during the day and then I would usually just eat pizzas and burgers and drink cokes when eating food in general. I ate like s**t…all the time…for decades.
Getting sober turned everything around and made be able to make good choices all around. — ghostbackwards
2.
I am incredibly grateful to have picked up my two year chip today. My life is 180 degrees from where it was just two years ago. I am thankful for sobriety and thankful to have a second chance at life. — silverladder
3.
I put down the vodka bottle on January 11 I checked myself into rehab. 8 1/2 months sober now and 35 pounds lighter. I feel like myself again. — brittsuzanne
4.
This first picture is a selfie I took in the ER on February 1, 2016, the day I was admitted to the hospital [for acute pancreatitis] and began the journey of recovery.
This second picture was taken on July 30, 2016, exactly six months after the first. I have just completed a 33-mile bike ride, one for every year I have been alive. — size16french
5.
One year sober. — Meatteo
6.
Just found a old picture of me on FB. I’m about 9 months sober from the time it was taken.
It's a rough road. But if you want it bad enough you can do anything. I replaced drinking time with time in the gym. Not saying that will work for everybody, but it made all the difference in the world for me. […] I was drinking an 18 pack a day. Every day. Then I graduated to whiskey. 1 bottle a day. Then I quit. Cold turkey. — level1biscuit
7.
9 months sober today, never felt better and the best part is getting a passion project up and running. — jdbbq
8.
One year sober and being healthier. I feel more like myself than I have in years. — Rooster55
9.
Three-plus years and 120 pounds later. — theyseemErockin
10.
One year and 4 days clean and sober. Cheers to many more! — Chris20322
11.
Then the other day I came across this ID headshot which pretty accurately depicts me during my 7 years of relapse HELL. This after pic was taken by my receptionist a few minutes ago. I look at the first photo and try to imagine who I had become, and how I survived my bottom drinking. But I did survive all sorts of degradation and humiliation even in recovery–none worse than where alcohol had taken me. I’m so grateful to have survived to now. — coolcrosby
12.
One year ago, I got in a fight with myself and I lost.
When I woke up (on the floor) the next morning, I knew that was it. I was done. I would never have a guilt-free drink again.
And now we’re at today. I’m alive, alcohol free, and grateful beyond what I can describe. This last year has been a lesson in acknowledging the parentheses of my life without making them more prominent than they should be. I have somehow been able to accomplish things this year that I thought would never, ever, ever be possible for "someone like me." Then again, I’ve been able to realize that “someone like me” is not a fixed state. — I_need_new_shoes
Be sure to SHARE all of these inspiring stories with your loved ones on Facebook!
These stories are based on posts found on Reddit. Reddit is a user-generated social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website where registered members submit content to the site and can up- or down-vote the content. The accuracy and authenticity of each story cannot be confirmed by our staff.
