Harmony Recovery has been providing addiction healthcare services in Estes Park since 1969. We would like to offer these stories from our alumni to show the humanity, strength, and perseverance of those working to recover from addiction. Often stigmatized and misunderstood by society, people on their path to recovery are managing a chronic illness which is a unique journey for each individual. Here is one such story. – Shane Hudson, CEO, Harmony Recovery
The week before Thanksgiving 2019, I made the longest hour-and-a-half drive of my life to Estes Park and walked through the doors of Harmony Recovery. It was a journey 20 years in the making. At the time, I had no idea that this drive would shape not only the next seven years of my life, but also the lives of my friends and family.
As a natural “connector,” I have always felt blessed with a gift for helping people find common ground. I found professional success at an early age. However, growing up in the Midwest, drinking was a constant part of the culture. Eventually, my work stayed fast, but my life became even faster.
While everything looked great on paper, my life was falling apart behind the scenes. I wasn’t showing up for my marriage, and I was giving only 50% effort to my work and social obligations. What started as a social habit had become an obsession. Drinking was controlling me and everything I did. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep — and sometimes even in between — it was always about where I was going to get another drink…