Bill D. is a recent successful graduate of Turnbridge. Prior to his residency at Turnbridge’s addiction treatment program, Bill’s attempts at abstinence were largely unsuccessful, never continuously spanning more than a month. Since entering (and subsequently completing) the Turnbridge rehab program, Bill has maintained his sobriety for nearly a year and is currently well on his way to completing a law degree at Villanova University.
Like many, Bill’s drinking and using career began in his teenage years. However, by the time he had reached young adulthood his substance misuse had progressed to a daily occurrence, quickly transforming from a luxury to a perceived necessity. Despite the progressing nature of his drinking, Bill was able to mask his symptoms through continued success in the area of academics, only serving to prolong the misery of his addiction. This cycle persisted until finally “[he] didn’t have the energy to do it [his] own way anymore.”
“I was done,” Bill said. “I was just physically and completely broken down. Emotionally there was nothing left.” Bill then decided to enter primary treatment at a program in Waverly, PA. As he was nearing the end of his 28-day stay, his parents presented him with one option — attend Turnbridge.
“I absolutely flipped out at first,” said Bill. “But I really didn’t have any other option, to be honest. I had nowhere to live and no money, so I figured I’d give it a shot.”
At Turnbridge, Bill found the structured sober living environment that he needed. “I got there and there were great guys I was living with, and there was a schedule every day,” Bill said. “I didn’t have time to sit around and think about how bad things were. I was busy focusing on positive things. My family was very excited that I liked where I was and I was enjoying myself.”
As Bill forged his way through Turnbridge’s three phases, he developed strong friendships with the other residents; friendships based not on a mutual interest in drug or alcohol, but on a genuine desire to support one another on the road to recovery. Since graduating Turnbridge, Bill has continued to use the recovery tools he developed at Turnbridge in maintaining his sobriety while pursuing a law degree at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
“I’m just excited for each day,” said Bill. “I go to school Monday through Thursday night and I go to a couple meeting out here by Villanova. I still head up to New Haven on the weekends and visit [Turnbridge] to see the guys that I was there with.”
“I’m able to wake up every day without using anything, and even feel happiness on top of that,” Bill said. “It’s still a learning experience; things surprise me every day. Anything can be dealt with. When things go wrong, I don’t have to use over it. I can face it, and move past it, and it gets easier every time. [Turnbridge] has given me all the tools to be out and about, to be back in law school, to face challenges on a daily basis, and to help others.”