Aaron had spent his entire adult life unhoused and in active drug use until he reached his breaking point. “When I was younger, I didn’t care enough to get it all together, but getting older it all becomes too much. I was tired and I didn’t want to be homeless anymore.”
That’s when he started the process of getting help. Initially he assumed it would be a short-term solution, but once he realized things were getting better in his life, he made the decision to keep going. “It was a long-term process. I couldn’t really see myself as someone who was sober and happy, but as I was in rehab and I started working on myself, I just felt so much better.”
Discovering he felt better also meant discovering newfound freedoms he hadn’t realized he missed. “I can do what I want now, when I used to be tied down. I never had free will when I was hooked on drugs. My entire life revolved around finding drugs.”
Not only that, but having the stability of a place to live, a place to call his own, and having a companion with him, motivates him each day. “If I went to rehab and was discharged back to homelessness, I wouldn’t have stayed sober. Also having family back in my life, and my cat has helped a lot. I can’t do drugs again because I need to take care of my pet. It’s a motivating factor.”
Even on tough days, he still feels fortunate to be at Garden Lofts for extra support. “The fact that there is staff here and if you’re struggling there are people you can reach out to. Talking to them feels like talking to a peer, and they make me feel comfortable.”
Through it all, Aaron loves where he’s currently at in life, with a support system, a job, and a place he feels at home in. “I’m so happy just being here and existing. I love video games, my family, and my cat Booty.”
When asked what he’d like the community to keep in mind about stigma, Aaron was thoughtful. “The stigma around it has improved a bit, but the biggest stigma is still the medication portion of it. People sometimes look at it as an easy way to recovery, which can turn some people off from using a prescription.”
Beyond reconnecting with family, and having someone who depends on him now, one other thing drives Aaron as he has become a peer specialist:
“Sharing my story makes me feel good. I’ve gone through a lot and lost a lot of friends, so it makes me feel good that I can share these stories and still be free from drugs. I’ve never met someone who was homeless for so long and used drugs for so long and still came out on this side of it. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
