Ben S. Testimonial
Hi, my name is Ben. I am 31 years old born in Omaha, Nebraska. I am currently 7 months clean after 16 years of drug addiction. Thanks to I Got Sober with their BioCorRx program helping me on this brand-new journey. If you’re reading this fighting a war with your addiction, please take the time to read this through. Where there is life, there is hope. I promise.
My drug use has engulfed my life since the time I was sixteen years old. In the beginning I never seen my drug use as a problem, or for a second thought I was a drug addict. I did well in school and was a successful student athlete. I then moved on to attend a division II college for sports and studies. Still actively using marijuana daily but never thought there was anything to be concerned about. First Mistake.
Then the year of 2008 happened, and tragedy struck close to home. To make a long story short I lost my 22-year old sister in a car accident. We were almost Irish twins we were born so close together. When I say we were inseparable, I mean it. We attended the same college together. That same year I also dealt with the loss of my best friend and his dad due to a carbon monoxide leak in their house. It was the first year of my life where I was dealt with the tragedy of death with loved ones up and close. I share this as a big part of my story because for me this was when the drugs began consuming my life.
I moved back home from school because the ability to concentrate and even more so, the passion had completely left. It was time to move home and be close to my family. My dad has always owned his own construction business which my two older brothers were already working at, so it was a given I would work with them. It was age 20 I returned home and started working for the family business.
With work and steady income came the money to buy drugs and alcohol. The beginning of burying all the pain that was locked up inside. From 20-22 years old I partied every night and weekend with marijuana and alcohol. Sometimes cocaine would find its way in there. The constant use of those substances with the lifestyle was my way of “coping” with reality. Little did I know I wasn’t coping at all. The pain and the hurt wasn’t going anywhere, it was only building each passing day of using.
Then the end of my 22nd year came I was about to turn 23. I was tired of the partying, tired of the drinking and smoking. I knew I couldn’t continue doing it. Just when I thought my life was bad and I was done with everything, my addiction was at the beginning stage of total destruction.
It was the day I was introduced to my first opiate. Commonly known as a “painkiller”. And the first time I used “killing the pain” is what it did, inside and out. I knew nothing about opiates or substance abuse. Even after my previous years of addiction, but with everything happening in life this was the “escape” I was looking for. I’ll never forget the moment I first used an opiate and realized I know longer had to feel again. This way I could pick back up my life (I thought) and start to move forward without having to worry about the feelings buried deep inside. Boy was I wrong. Fast forward 6 months now I am completely physically dependent on pain pills. Every kind of pain pill they made I took them. And a whole lot of them. Not sure how I ever made it through those years without killing myself or somebody else. My life was self-destructing rapidly I tried quitting cold turkey more than 30 times and failed. Trying to deal with the responsibility of maintaining life on top of with-drawl symptoms I just couldn’t seem to get clean.
My life continued on this path with my usage increasing as the addiction progressed. Pain pills were the drug of choice but whenever I was with-drawling from being out of pills I would resort to just about anything to help cope with the discomfort until I found more. This was the vicious cycle that seemed to never end. With all hope being long gone after what felt like a thousand failed attempts, I decided to check myself in for my first stay at a short-term 30- day in-patient treatment facility. I say first, because this was the first of four attempts at short-term in-patient treatment centers.
At 25 years old entering into my first treatment stay, I can honestly say that I had the mindset and belief that I was completely done and over with my drug use. Even though I wanted to believe it I didn’t even begin to realize the actual long-term fight that was only beginning when the 30-day stay was complete. At the very beginning all the way through the next 3 stays of in-patient treatment centers I had to learn the hard way. By that I mean each time I attempted the treatment center I was more addicted more beat up by addiction and with each attempt in all honesty thought I was more than ready to change.
I gave all of myself to the short- term programs and even did the follow up programs for extended care, but for some reason each time I felt like I was truly white knuckling every moment. My days were filled with the drive of wanting to use. Severe cravings and I didn’t understand why it kept getting worse. There wasn’t one day where the focus on working my program outweighed the feelings of wanting to use. The urge to use was stronger then everything I did and tried whole-heartedly in my 4 in-patient stays. Nothing seemed to work no matter what I tried. 4 years of attempts ended with 4 years of failures. At 29 was back using more than I ever have before.
Now I am 31 years old and was back in the position of seeking out help. It was time to find a new way. It seemed I tried every way possible. I heard of Naltrexone so I began researching ways to learn more about it and get help. One thing I learned the hard way that led me to realize I needed the assistance of Naltrexone was all the damage I have done to my brain with all my years of drug use. This is defined as the “post-acute with-drawl symptoms”. In my past experiences with traditional recovery programs my first months of sobriety would pass and like a train each time it hit me and I’d begin to spiral downhill with no understanding of why.
This really was the facts behind why I suffered for so long each time I would get clean. I couldn’t seem to find peace and rest in sobriety in all my attempts before. I didn’t realize the amount of time it takes for my brain to heal so I could actually concentrate on myself for once without the white knuckling feeling of trying to stay clean. This is where I begin to tell you how the BioCorRx program that followed up with the long-term recovery tools began to dramatically and rapidly change my life. I heard about the implant and I realized when have I ever been able to stay clean for a year? Not only that but give myself the opportunity to find out to work on myself and who I am without the addiction in my life. The BioCorRx program I Got Sober offered did exactly that.
I called up the CEO of I Got Sober and began the process of getting admitted into this new way of recovery. It seemed like everything I Got Sober talked about on the website was everything I was looking for. I have a full-time job which we are required to travel all over the Midwest. I needed a program that would offer real help but also not put my whole life on halt. It really was according to what I needed. You just don’t find these programs everywhere. It’s a one of a kind that literally met my every need. We sat down and talked about what I was looking for and what the program offered. We agreed we would move forward and then set a date for when I would receive the 12-month Naltrexone double-implant.
Within 9 days I was in the doctor’s office receiving my naltrexone implant. The operation was only 20-30 minutes long and was virtually painless. I went home that day to take care of my incisions and I remember by the same night every craving in me had completely 100% resided. With no sarcasm whatsoever that night I felt 100% at peace in my mind and body. It felt like freedom. Along with my implant date I was connected with my new Recovery Coach. Who has been instrumental in my recovery and life today as the implant itself. With all cravings subsided I felt free for the first time. I had the time now where I felt like I could breath. Not a single thought even one time has come to me of wanting to use. All my thoughts and concentration is on my life new life in recovery today. Who I am becoming with the help of these brand-new tools.
My life has not only returned, but it has improved dramatically. Honestly, I never wanted to go down that path, nobody does. Knowing that, not in a million years did I think I would reach the depths of destruction I did. I left out so many details that you wouldn’t believe they were true if I told you. Because that’s how bad it really got. But even then, when you think you’ve reached that place of no return… when there is still life, there is hope. I promise. I was there for a very long time. Today is a new day. My life has turned a complete 180-degrees. I know longer view myself the way I did for 16 years. I see the truth of who I am. I have fought the war and made it to this point. I could not have done it without the help of I Got Sober and their Bio-Cor Rx program. I will continue on with these tools the rest of my life. It has not only helped save my life, but has rebuilt my identity and my future in every way. If you read this to the end then hear me when I say… Don’t miss your opportunity. Don’t allow addiction to take another day let alone another year of your life. You won’t only recover your life, you will re-discover the new you and the life you have ahead.