Anyone looking for a pick me up towards sobriety

[Howsway]

As I face what I believe to be my bottom in my personal journey towards sobriety I start today,
i came across one of the best inspirational documentaries I?ve heard about addictions.

Its a dovumentary by Brandon Novak aka three time millionaire by the age of 23 , toured the world with tony hawk at 14, former jackass crew on the show,newyorks best selling author on a book and former alcoholic and heroin addict talking about his story and road to recovery.

Super good and inspirational and shows a different point on the minds inside addiction through a lense of understanding rather than judgment.

hope you like it as much as I do
https://youtu.be/OG--M8B04DA

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks Howsway! Im definitely always looking for motivation.

I know who Brandon N. is, and I'm speechless that he was so accomplished. I wouldn't have known that. I'm going to check out the link. Thanks again.

 

[Howsway]

Thanks Howsway! Im definitely always looking for motivation.
I know who Brandon N. is, and I'm speechless that he was so accomplished. I wouldn't have known that. I'm going to check out the link. Thanks again.

hey! I’m glad I can add to the collection of motivation for you! Do you know him personally or just of him ?? hes honestly changed his life around immensely, but it took him over 23 years to do it. He’s a great motivational speaker. I’d love to go to one of his talks one day.

keep your head up!
Take care

 

[Stargazer]

I don't know Brandon, but Bam actually lives about 35mins from where I do.

I saw him (Brandon), on jackass, and the other spin-off show that Bam had. I honestly wouldn't have known he had money. He always looked "unwell".

I'm looking forward to seeing him now and really happy for him for turning his life around. I heard Bam was either drinking again or in rehab, can't remember which one. I saw it on TMZ.

How are you feeling today Howsway? I'm hoping well.

 

[Stargazer]

Wow!! I just watched the video of Brandon Novack. He looks great. So much better.

I loved his message. Thank you Howsway, for sharing that. I thought he was just some hanger-on of Bam's. I had no idea he had accomplished all of that.

It is so true, addiction does not discriminate. It doesn't care how successful you are, how Rich, what color you are - that's all irrelevent. As he also said, having an open heart and mind changes everything. The gift of desperation, is truly a gift.

Thanks again, Howsway. I really enjoyed that.

 

[Howsway]

I don't know Brandon, but Bam actually lives about 35mins from where I do.

I saw him (Brandon), on jackass, and the other spin-off show that Bam had. I honestly wouldn't have known he had money. He always looked "unwell".

I'm looking forward to seeing him now and really happy for him for turning his life around. I heard Bam was either drinking again or in rehab, can't remember which one. I saw it on TMZ.

How are you feeling today Howsway? I'm hoping well.

oh okay very cool! Ya I think I just saw a video of brandon saying bam is actually hardcore addicted too now and he’s been trying to return the favor and get bam clean since bam was the one fighting to get him clean over the years, the irony. And I’m feeling good honestly, been one of the best days in a while and decided I’m going to defer law school for a year. I’ve almost completed a year, but I know I can do better than how I’ve done and if I can get my mental health and life in order so my school has a program where I can re- do Law school clean slate no records without even reapplying so I’m excited hope you had a great day! And if not, I hope the next will be a better one

 

[Howsway]

Wow!! I just watched the video of Brandon Novack. He looks great. So much better.

I loved his message. Thank you Howsway, for sharing that. I thought he was just some hanger-on of Bam's. I had no idea he had accomplished all of that.

It is so true, addiction does not discriminate. It doesn't care how successful you are, how Rich, what color you are - that's all irrelevent. As he also said, having an open heart and mind changes everything. The gift of desperation, is truly a gift.

Thanks again, Howsway. I really enjoyed that.

aww I’m so glad you really liked it!! I’ve been talking about it all day he’s such an amazing speaker and inspiration. He said something really good there when he said he tried to move across the country but at the end of the day you can leave wherever you want but it won’t solve your addiction because “you can’t outrun your shadow” and MANNN so good!! You truly can’t outrun your shadow no matter how much we think we got it together, if we don’t solve the root of the problem the darkness will always haunt us so might as well get to know our shadows.

Take care

 

[Stargazer]

Wherever you go, there you are... So, so true.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear you say you're taking care of your mental health first Yess!!

I liked the story, that was an analogy that Brandon shared toward the end of the video --- something about a father giving his son a complicated puzzle of the world to put together. When the father returned he was
surprised to find the son completed the puzzle. The father asked him how he did it, and he responded with something like: First you put the man back together, and the rest of the world falls into place. Yes.

If mental/emotional health isn't addressed, other things are highly unlikely to go well.

Im on medication for my severe anxiety and panic attacks. The meds keep things more manageable. I can tell you with 100% certainty, that I would be using full-time, if not for the medication.

I lived in a constant state of anxiety. Had frequent full-blown panic attacks, and this dark cloak of negativity seemed to hang over my life. I self-medicated for years.

I need to be in therapy too. It's a must. I never felt hope, literally didn't know what hope felt like, until a few years ago with the help of meds.

Getting your mental and emotional health in a good place, is a priority. That's AWESOME that you can return to law school after you figure things out. You won't regret it. Well done Howsway.

 

[Stargazer]

And that's great you're having such a good day today.��

 

[Howsway]

Aww thank you I really appreciate it! And yesss the puzzle metaphor was so good too!! Sound like you’ve had a lot of rough patches but you’ve been able to adapt and persevere and that’s the best we can do, so good work to you too! Like I always say, Baby steps! You’ll get there have a good day

 

[hotfriesmmm]

that was rad. thanks

 

[Howsway]

that was rad. thanks

Haven’t heard that word in a while! Haha glad you liked it

 

[Captain.Heroin]

The one thing that motivates me to stay clean is all my friends who died, having watched people decay due to their drug use who are still alive, and knowing intelligent minds who had ailments from use (Roddenberry is an excellent example). It motivates me not to follow the same path.

I know, sad, and kind of a huge downer. It's like working out looking at a photo of a fatty instead of a hot chick, but it works for me.

Long Hard Road Out of Hell was also an excellent read. I rather much understood that feeling described when Warner speaks (and the autobiographer relates to the reader) the story of him having cut himself for shock value while in public on LSD. I think reading it taught me a bit about my sick brain and how I can be less of a terrible person. There's also rather honest and open-book opinions and facts relayed that make it seem possible for individuals to accept what has happened in their lives and such.

If anyone wants to read it and cannot get it due to $$ issues, I have a pdf.

Sometimes I walk around in real life, or watch on Live PD and you'll see elderly people totally strung out on alcohol or heroin, and strangers trying to help them out or even cops just trying to see if they're alright and it's really sad. It often makes me think, I won't be like that at that age, will I? Am I going to be that helpless and pathetic and out of it? Is it going to get that bad? I don't know if this helps anyone but it does for me. It makes me sad but it give me hope I don't have to end up like that.

Walking around and seeing the masses of drug-addled people in Skid Row always makes you thankful for however little you have and it gives you a lot of will to keep working on it.