OUR STORIES
Finding care and treatment for substance use disorders can be a complicated process, but Cazenovia Recovery is here to help.
JACOB:
“Just because you lost everything doesn’t mean you’re done.”
“I lost my house. I lost my job. I lost my life,” he says. “And I stayed out there because I thought I deserved it.” What finally interrupted that cycle was exhaustion and one person who refused to give up on him. “My aunt told me jail wasn’t going to fix this,” Jacob recalls. “She said, ‘You need treatment.’ That was the first time anyone said that to me like it was an option, not a punishment.”
Lucy:
“Recovery changes your life. You don’t have to go back to the old lifestyle.”
Lucy’s struggle with substance use began in high school when she experimented with friends. When she couldn’t find prescriptions, she turned to street drugs that led to an overdose and several blackouts. Despite maintaining a stable job at the DMV for three years and attending Niagara County Community College while playing soccer, her dependence on substances began to take a toll.
Deone:
“Each step forward, no matter how small, reminded me that I was capable of more.”
“I thought rehab was a magic fix,” Deone admits, “but I learned that no one can save you if you’re not ready to save yourself.”
More Stories



“I sleep so well at night, and I lay my head down with no regrets because I put in the work each day to become a better person.”
“Every day I learn something new about myself, about how to live a life free from substance use.”



“Never stop listening. The right person might say the right thing at the right time.”
“My favorite part of the program was having the freedom to make mistakes, something that I have never experienced before.”
"I cannot keep letting others beat me up for who I was. I'm not that person anymore.”



“It feels good to share my story. I know many people are struggling, and it's possible to stay sober.”
https://www.cazenoviarecovery.org/story/jovans-journey-overcoming-adversity-through-recovery/



“My incentives now are for a better me, of course, first and foremost, and because I will be a better me, I'll be a better father to my 4-year-old.”
“I’ve learned to say no and stand my ground. For the first time, I have a backbone.”
“It feels good to have a routine, to be able to save money, and not be afraid to check my bank balance for the first time in my life”



“It's not that I have it all figured out, but now I have hope and a purpose.”
“Recovery isn’t just about quitting drugs. You have to completely change who you are—the way you think, act, and live.”
“I talk to my parents every morning at 9 a.m. They never gave up on me and I’m grateful for that every day.”

“I came in ready this time,”
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Cazenovia Recovery Systems, Inc
2495 Main St, Suite 417
Buffalo, NY 14214
