The Addicts

h his hands. Dr. Kim, a kind-faced woman with a warm

about yourself," Dr. Kim said, h

le prodding, he began to open up. He told her about his addiction

thetic. "Alex, you're taking a huge step by seeki

er said anything like that to him before. He had a

f hope. Maybe, just maybe, he could over

She helped him develop coping strategies and work through

were struggling with addiction. It was comforting to know he wasn't alone,

himself again. He started taking care of his physical h

r photography again, something he had g

k. The sunlight filtering through the trees, the vibrant colors of the f

years. He realized that he had been living in a state of

felt alive again. He felt like he had been given a seco

mism that he hadn't felt in a long time. He knew that the road to reco

s, Alex felt like he had a

lly and mentally. He continued to attend therapy sessions with Dr. Kim, who help

rs who were struggling to get back on their feet. Alex found solace in

feeling that he was just one step away from relapse. He knew tha

ld acquaintance from his addiction days. The man, whose name was Jake, lo

" Jake asked, his eyes

round. "I'm doing okay, Jake. I've been in ther

you can just quit? You th

and counted to ten. "I'm not better than you, Jake. I'

're just a fool, Alex. You'll be back on t

o let them get to him. He knew that he was on the rig

ing to walk away. "But I'm not going to let you brin

had faced his demons and come out on top. And he knew that no matte

d test his resolve, his strength, and his commitment to his recovery. A challenge that