Richard Thompson

My life has been a challenging journey marked by an ongoing battle with addiction spanning over 18 years. My struggles began in high school, where drug and alcohol use became a means of escaping deep-seated insecurities. Lacking effective coping mechanisms for emotions and everyday challenges, I found a temporary sense of normalcy and confidence through substance use, which quickly escalated into a daily routine. As addiction tightened its grip, My life gradually unravelled. Despite warnings from friends and family about my problem, I resisted seeking help.

Addiction is a disease that convinces you that you don’t have a disease. It’s cunning, baffling, and powerful. Numerous attempts to quit on my own proved unsuccessful, leading me to suffer consequences. My journey led me to dark and hopeless places—incarceration, hospital admissions, and countless overdoses. Homelessness became a reality as I found myself living in vehicles, shelters, tents and on the streets. The toll extended beyond material losses. I damaged relationships, lost employment, dropped out of college, and lost my sense of dignity, morals, values, self-respect, and self-esteem.

In December 2021, I reached a breaking point while living in a homeless shelter in Kelowna. Faced with the reality that I needed help or faced the prospect of death, I found the strength to call a recovery house and put myself on the waitlist. After a month of daily calls, I eventually secured a bed in the 90-day program, on January 27th, 2022.

Recovery is a journey marked by both triumphs and challenges. Yet, every day in recovery, even the most difficult, surpasses the best day lived in active addiction. Discovery House not only saved my life but gave me a life full of purpose and meaning.

Today, I am employed by the recovery house that played a pivotal role in my recovery and saved my life. I find meaning and purpose in assisting others on their journey to break free from active addiction. In reflecting on my progress, I know that I owe my current state of recovery to the support I received. This gratitude fuels my commitment to continuing to help others overcome the challenges of addiction.