Success Stories

Nevaeh Ridge

I have been in active addiction since the age of 17. It all started with alcohol and pot. At the time, I really thought nothing of it, I was just enjoying my youth like everyone else. I was a cheerleader and prom queen of my high school. After I graduated I decided to attend school for cosmetology. I had plans for my career and my future. Part of that plan was making the move to Columbus, OH. I wanted it all too fast. I know now what I didn’t know then. I quickly became the girl that loved to party. My disease took hold of me and before I knew it, that become more important than my career and my future. I started calling off of work, my paychecks went to the bar, my relationships were toxic and I couldn’t pay any of my bills. I started turning to family to bail me out time after time to pay rent and the bills. Just to keep lying, stealing and using people to get what I wanted. August, 2016 I found out I was pregnant. I got help and put myself into a counseling center to get on Suboxone. I had my daughter April, 25th 2017. She was in the NICU from withdrawal and got out on May 14th. Mother’s day. You would think that was enough to stop. I decided to move back home because my sister offered to take me in. I was almost homeless with a new born because of my choices. It only took a short while till my drug use resulted of me going in and out of jail, 3 felony’s and a psychosis.

Nevaeh Ridge

Oak House

I just wanted to thank you for giving me this opportunity to learn about my disease and myself.  Since being here,  I have learned a lot of things about myself that I didn’t realize played such a big part in my alcoholism.  My fears, ego, self-pity and so many other things.  I know I still have a lot of work to continue doing.  This house and everyone in it has given me a lot of hope.  The tools have been given to me and the seed has definitely been planted.  I feel like I can walk out of here an d be proud of where I’ve come from, where I’m at and where I’m going.  All the staff here have given me something to take with me as I go, to grow and be a stronger person.  For that I will always be grateful.  Thank you so much for such a great opportunity to open my eyes to my alcoholism and to learn to live life on life’s terms.

Residential

Whatever issues may arise in life, I now have been taught the tools to identify, work through, and cope with them without regressing back to alcohol/drug use.  Although I am truly grateful, never going back to that life is going to be my thank you to all of you who saved my life.

Teen

One of the reasons I joined Teen Institute was to meet new people. Teen Institute is a place where I can go and be myself and not have people judge me, Teen Institute is a great place for anyone because you can start coming anytime and everyone will treat you like family.

Teen

I joined Teen Institute because to me, being drug free and healthy is one of the best things to have as a teenager. I joined Teen Institute four years ago, in 6^th grade because I was one of the rare few who liked going to the awkward meetings during lunch. The reason I stuck with it is because I know I can be an individual and stick up for myself, even though there is lots of negative influence in our generation. I think that sticking to Teen Institute is the best thing I can do to get through all the “drama” which we call high school.

Lake House

I arrived at Lake House in October 2011 not sure what to be expecting. Not sure if I truly wanted sobriety. I was beat up pretty bad. Numerous treatment centers, jail visits, and hospitalizations prior, I decided to give treatment at Lake House an honest attempt.

I learned quite a bit about myself while in the house. The staff allowed me to feel comfortable about getting honest with myself, which is not an easy thing to do for people with addictions. The staff taught me how to ask for help, how to strive to be accountable and responsible. Part of my treatment at Lake House was to get involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and I have learned how to stay clean and sober “ One Day At A Time”. I ‘ve obtained a higher power. I’ve learned how to develop and keep healthy relationships in my life today. Most important I’m happy today.

Since leaving Lake House life hasn’t been bad. It’s not always wonderful but I’ve learned how to deal with life without having to drink or use drugs. I enjoy being able to go back to Lake House to talk to the residents and volunteer to take them to 12 step meetings. I truly feel blessed. Lake House holds a special place in my heart. It was such a vital part of my early sobriety and continues to be an asset in my sobriety today! I will forever be grateful to Lake Geauga Recovery Centers and the staff at Lake House!

– Thomas Z.

Oak House

My name is Carley. I’m 24 years old and I’m an alcoholic. There are many things that are important to me in my life today but I would like to share with you the three that I truly appreciate. First July 30th 2011 my sobriety date, second I have faith in my higher power and myself, third September 8th 2011 the day I came to Oak House.

I mention these three because without them I believe I would be dead or locked up somewhere. July 30th 2011 I went into treatment for the third try at this way of life. I knew I had lost everything in my life that was important to me including my family. It was recommended that I go to Oak House for long term residential treatment. I was scared to make the commitment but finally I did and on September 8th 2011 I arrived at Oak House. I will never forget that day.

I spent three months in Oak House and part of me wishes I was still there. Treatment wasn’t easy for me. My grandfather passed away while I was at Oak House and I am so grateful to the staff and my peers for all the support I received during that time. I stayed sober and was able to be there for my family. I am forever grateful to Lynn, Marilee, and Dave for all their support through this painful time in my life.

At Oak house I learned how to be responsible for myself. For the first time I built a strong foundation for my recovery. I was also able to participate in sober fun events like the walks for recovery, sober dances, and the Halloween party at Oak House was so much fun!

Today I’m a better daughter, sister, and person then I ever was and I will be forever grateful for all the love and support I received from the staff at Oak House. Today I have enrolled back in school to work on getting my teaching degree. I come by Oak House and volunteer when I can and am living a sober life and have become a productive member of society.

– Carley

Lake House

The Journey of an Addict

I’m Mike J., I have been clean 6 years plus, my clean date is 12/4/2006. I’m 53 years old and I’m enjoying life as a recovering addict and a productive member of society. I used any kind of mind or mood altering substances for 35 years. I’m going to say the Lake House, a treatment center and a part of the Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers had a major part in changing my life.

I was born the first child of 3, the only male. My parents were middle class, my father worked hard day and night, and my mother was a stay at home mom in the early years. My parents were very loving and caring, which turned into a bad thing. They enabled me for 35 years, and when my sisters were old enough, they enabled me too. My life was pretty eventful in the early years. I had to be different and crave attention. I was obsessive compulsive from the early years. At the age of 5, I vandalized the neighbors’ yard and pool. The police were called and Mike didn’t have any consequences, mom and dad just paid the damages. So from that point on, I learned how to be irresponsible and manipulative.

The early school years were the same; I would coast through grades 1-6, not really knowing or learning anything, just being a clown. I had to be different. I got a lot of attention because my mother would do most of my projects and homework, it was always the best. I had everyone faked out, even my parents. I even believed that I could do no wrong. Being put in the corner, the paddling’s made me stand out. I knew how to change the way I felt even before I picked up any substances and put them in my body.

The neighborhood I grew up in had 4-5 guys the same age, all parents were middle class. So whatever my family did, the rest followed suit. We all had restored basements and every house had a bar built in, good idea. At the age of 11, the using started with alcohol. We started in my parents bar, drinking then watering the bottles down. As I do recall, I got really drunk, had my first blackout, a one of a lifetime blackout and was told I did some pretty silly and stupid things. My parents found out and I got a little slap on the wrist. No consequences. So at school I was one of the cool kids who could do what he wanted and get away with it.

I grew up in the 70’s, so from alcohol it went to anything that would change the way I felt about myself. From pot to hallucinogens, to cocaine, to pills, to huffing gas and opiates, it didn’t matter. I thought people liked and cared about me as long as I was not myself.

I wrecked the family car at age 16 while using drugs and alcohol. I got another slap on the wrist. My whole life became a revolving door of jails and institutions. To me, these were vacations. I knew when I got out; my family would help me start over. I had never grown up. The 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s were all the same, Mike got in trouble and was bailed out every time. The institutions I was in were crowded, didn’t have enough counselors, and 90% of the patients did not care about staying clean, including myself. Being court ordered to AA was a joke, back then you could write down the meetings and get away with it. The meetings I did attend, I met other addicts and usually went out and used afterward.

The year 2006 was my last year of being an addict. I was on the streets, using in crack houses and doing whatever it took to stay out of my own skin. Finally my usefulness as a peon dope runner had run out. I had enough, it was time to go back to my family and start the cycle over again. So I went calling on my family, asking them to help me or I was going to die out there. Well, the enabling stopped, it was tough love time. I didn’t understand how they could do this to me and major resentments were built. I didn’t know how to do anything but be a using addict. My family told me they’d had enough, the buck stopped there. The only thing I had left to do is go the V.A. treatment center in Brecksville, Ohio or stay on the streets and forget they even existed. I balked at first, then my addict mind told me it’s only for a few months, then things will go back to normal, or so I thought. The joke was on me.

I was in the V.A. for over 1 year – treatment and 3/4 house. I hadn’t used, but I hadn’t lost the idea that I was going back to my own way of life. I was a miserable, non-using addict who hadn’t gotten it yet, and my family was not giving in. My life was miserable; I had spent over a year in the V.A. in Cleveland, couldn’t find a job and really didn’t want one. I wanted to go home. I had nowhere to go. I was about to be released, jobless and penniless, in downtown Cleveland. I was going to 12-step meetings, still hadn’t gotten it yet, and still wanted to go home. I hadn’t used any mind altering substances in over a year.

The director of the V.A. program grew up in Painesville and was familiar with the Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers and Lake House. He suggested I try another treatment facility instead of being homeless. I really didn’t have a choice, but I was still thinking my family might take me back, after all I still hadn’t used.

That brings us to the Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers, Lake House a residential treatment center for men. The house actually is a house that holds approximately 15 residents and is located close to downtown Painesville. My first impression was “What kind of facility is this?” none that I had ever encountered. I would soon realize this was where I was going to change my life. From the outside it looks like a normal house in a residential area, step through the front doors and miracles are taking place at any given time. My stay there was about 4 months, amazing because I had spent over 1 year at the V.A Center going to 12-step meetings, but by the end of my 4 months at Lake House I was well on my way to a better life. I had to learn it’s not all about me, to let go and let God.

The Lake House was a lot about structure, learning to take responsibilities and follow through with them. There was a list of household chores that rotated by the week. Cooking and cleaning were a major part of these. To cook for 12-15 guys wasn’t easy, but it instilled learning and getting to know the guys. Going shopping, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming – it all had to be done every day. There were groups every day, and a lot of one on one meetings with a counselor. This was a major help for me, individual sessions. During one particular session, my counselor asked me if I wanted to die in a homeless shelter smoking crack. DING! DING! DING! This was a major turning point for me. I wasn’t ready to die, and I needed to change my life. So, I finally started listening and it all started to make sense to me. There WAS a higher power in my life. How else did I wind up in a town and treatment center I was completely unaware of?

One of the other significant factors in the Lake House was going to 12-step meetings every day. You were responsible for getting to these meetings, which meant you had to get phone numbers of responsible addicts and call them to get rides to the meetings. This taught me responsibility and reaching out, which wasn’t in my agenda. We also had to find a sponsor, if it weren’t for this, I would have never found Narcotics Anonymous. There weren’t that many clients going to these meetings, so it made me come out of my shyness and talk to more addicts at the meetings. This was how my recovery process started. I was able to relate with these addicts and was able to find a sponsor who incredibly was a Lake House alumni who had gone through the same process. We were also able to job search at the house after having been there for a while. I was able to secure a job at a place where another Lake House alumni was working but moving on. I now had a job, a 12-step program and friends. This was a miracle, as well as finding a place to live close to work. I would say I was on the way to being a responsible member of society. I was no longer homeless, jobless and I had grown up. I owe my life as it is to a higher poser who had put me in the right place. The Lake House was a major life changer for me and I owe them dearly.

Today, 5 years later, I still have the same job, same residence, and have been clean for 6 years. I have the same sponsor and dedicate my life to giving back all the love and service I received. I still go the Lake House and give rides to meetings and have sponsored more than one client. I am also involved heavily in the 12-step program as well. My family is no longer keeping me away. I love them dearly and have also started getting to know my 21 year old daughter.

Without the caring staff at Lake House, none of this would have been possible.

– Mike