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The Addict Who Still Suffers

 Brothers and Sisters in Recovery 🙏 Yesterday was sobering — no pun intended. I learned that my very good friend’s stepbrother passed away from an overdose. It hit hard. Real hard. Because every one of us knows the truth deep down… this disease does not play fair. Addiction does not care about age, family, intelligence, kindness, or potential. It steals sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and friends. It leaves empty chairs at dinner tables and broken hearts that never fully heal. And the hardest part? Most of us know that person could have been us. Some of us have overdosed and somehow made it back. Some of us woke up in hospital beds. Some of us were brought back with Narcan. Some of us buried friends we laughed with just weeks before. We’ve watched addiction turn beautiful souls into statistics. That reality should shake every recovering addict to the core. But here’s what I also know: recovery gives us a responsibility. We are not just staying clean for ourselves anymore. We ar...
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UPDATE: Currently at Hospital

 Brothers and Sisters in Recovery 🙏


It’s unfortunate to share that the Rebels of Addiction blog will be down for a couple of weeks. I’m currently hospitalized and working through a serious mental health episode tied to acute PTSD. The good news is I’m safe, I’m being cared for, and I’m exactly where I need to be right now. This is something I face from time to time, and I’ve learned that stepping back and getting help is part of staying in the fight—not stepping out of it.


Recovery doesn’t mean we never get hit hard—it means we don’t face it alone and we don’t stay down. This moment is just that—a moment. I’m leaning into the same principles we all live by: honesty, willingness, and faith that this too will pass. There’s strength in asking for help, and there’s real power in taking care of your mind just like you would your body.


While I’m taking this time to stabilize and reset, I want each of you to keep pushing forward. Stay connected. Go to your meetings. Pick up the phone. Help the next person. The work we do together matters more than any one voice, including mine.


I’ll keep you updated as I’m able, and I fully intend to come back stronger, clearer, and ready to keep building what we’ve started together.


Until then—stay grounded, stay grateful, and keep moving forward.

One day at a time.

Progress, not perfection.

Keep coming back—it works if you work it.


With love and gratitude,

Gary G

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 23, 2026 at 1:39 PM

    🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 coming your way Gary & know that I’m here for your family while you are being cared for. You are doing the right thing by staying in the fight & protecting your journey of recovery! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🫶

    ReplyDelete

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