From Dark to Dawn and a Story of Recovery

There are many stories of addiction but so few about recovery. This weekend, 500recovered addicts (dozens from Hamilton alone) will descend upon Toronto to hear messages of hope, faith and courage. The annual convention of Cocaine Anonymous will have powerful speakers, a sobriety countdown and personal stories of freedom from drug addiction. One of them is a Hamilton man who became addicted to drugs and alcohol and after 10 years of trying, finally escaped the clutches of addiction with help from those in his own community.

Within 5 years of his first drug use, Mark realized that drugs were the source of all his pain. The lack of stable housing place, lack of stability, lack of constant work and struggles with the law led to his first attempt to quit. “I felt so low in jail, like I never wanted to be there again,” he says. But that very night he used again.

“I figured that a geographical cure would help so I went to Vancouver” It started out ok, he was
working, had his own place, but one day he picked up a drink and within a month he was into crack cocaine again. Then he embarked on a period of abstaining from drugs, just drinking, but he was miserable. He went through a cycle of waking up in hospitals, the “drunk tank”, bruised and beaten from fights.

The rest was like a country song. His business fell apart, he went to treatment, got out, relapsed a week later. Next, he went to a five-month treatment, and lasted another 2 months until he relapsed yet again. He fell in love with his sweetheart, who had a two-year old daughter. They got married, bought a house and he started a career. Then one day, Mark picked up a drink at a stag and doe. And the next 4 years of life were a living hell with booze. (Despite having three more kids, Mark was mangled. He couldn’t get up for work, he wrecked two cars, and it went on.

He wanted to kill himself. At this point, crack reentered the picture. Then he once again came clean with everybody. Yet again, he went to treatment, this time in Hamilton. “There was a lot of support, lot of love lot of knowledge, but first night home I wanted to drink.” He couldn’t play with his son. Mark knew in his heart that letting go and grasping recovery was critical. Starting that day, Mark embraced recovery in Cocaine Anonymous (addressing his resentments, cleaning house around his own behaviours and helping others) and he started feeling hope, joy and compassion. He’s been sober for several years since.

While the name “Cocaine Anonymous” may sound drug-specific, the program is not. Many members did a lot of cocaine; and some never even tried it. Plenty of opioid addicts adorn the rooms of CA as the next generation of young addicts show up. Regardless of substance they all have one thing in common: eventually they reached a point where they could not stop.

Mark went from a place of darkness to one of light. Life has taken on new meaning.Living in Hamilton, he is a great friend to countless recovering and recovered addicts, he volunteers bringing meetingsinto hospitals and institutions and helpsmen recover by taking them through the steps and traditions of Cocaine Anonymous. Mark is one of hundreds of people young and old who have escaped the terror and pain of addiction that will be in attendance at this weekend’semotionally-charged Cocaine Anonymous annual convention.

Please participate in the Cocaine Anonymous Convention FROM DARK TO DAWN.
Friday, October 20 – Sunday October 22