40 years ago, he overcame the crippling affects of addiction and mental illness. Don’t surrender to them — you can win, too
Editor’s note: In keeping with this weekend’s theme of redemption after all hope is gone, The Standard offers this first person account of near-total self-destruction and the possibilities of salvation that come with faith and hope … and the willingness to accept the intervention of a society with resources dedicated to saving the lost.
I am filled with gratitude today. God has blessed me with a life I could only dream about in 1986 when I crawled away from drugs and alcohol and into a treatment center.
Anxiety and depression had crippled me for the second time in my life and after my wheels fell off and I was literally unable to leave my Spearfish apartment due to anxiety attacks … my sober friends Leroy and Glen intervened and arranged for me to interview for treatment.
I had no insurance. I had no money. I don’t think I’d spoken to my family for several months. There was no way I was going to be admitted to that treatment center … but God had other ideas for me. God arranged for funding for me through vocational rehabilitation and my 30-day stay was covered in full.
In treatment I came to one of the most powerful realizations of my life: I was not crazy or insane. I was sick. I had the disease of addiction and a severe mental illness. I was told both were treatable. All I had to do was change just about every damn thing about myself, including all of my old ideas about you, me, God, life, sex, money … etc.
Not an easy task, and it’s taken me decades to make progress. I’m better. Not totally healed, but significantly better. God is REALLY big, I found out. Faith is REALLY powerful.
I only write this for anyone who is suffering out there and feels out of hope and answers. I promise you that addiction is a winnable war. Mental illness is a winnable war. Simple, but not easy. Do not do it alone. It truly took a village to raise me. Tons of teachers. People who loved and believed in me before I was able to love and believe in myself.
I am alive today because of the help and support of others. Period! My very best wishes and blessings to anyone who’s struggling right now.
Don’t give up before your miracle happens. It may just be around the next corner.
Shawn Bitz of Rapid City is an author, singer-songwriter and musician and an occasional contributor to The South Dakota Standard.
Photo: Spring blossoms, public domain, wikimedia commons
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