After struggling with drinking her entire adult life, Sara had an “aha!” moment at Avalon. So far in her recovery, she had tried to sidestep her alcohol use by pinning it on other problems like anxiety or trauma, but she would soon come to realize how closely entwined these issues are and understand that you can’t overcome one without treating the other. This is known as a dual diagnosis, and it affects a surprising amount of people in recovery. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), nearly 40% of adults with a mental health condition report using drugs or alcohol to cope. “I remember Ronnie, one of the counselors, sitting me down and encouraging me to examine why I was drinking,” she recalls. “He sat me down and gave me a big book. And he told me to write today’s date in it, and that’s my sobriety date. It will be a year on October 7.” However, like most people, Sara’s breakthrough didn’t happen right away. “It took a month at Avalon for me to finally admit that I was an alcoholic,” she says. “But my therapist was very patient. She didn’t push me. She wanted to make sure that I was comfortable. And that I would admit it on my own, when I felt that it was OK for me.” Unfortunately, the impetus behind Sara’s turning point was the loss of her grandfather, one of the most important people in her life. So not long after she arrived in California, she flew back to the East Coast to be with her family and put him to rest. “When it came time for me to go, I was asked again if I wanted a sober companion to come with me,” she echoes. But just like before, she declined. “I said, ‘No, no, no, I think I can do this.’” And this time, the experience felt different. “Something clicked,” she says.
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