Essay contest winners described their addiction recovery in their own words, and explained how medications like  methadone, buprenorphine (Suboxone and Probuphine) and naltrexone (Vivitrol) helped them get sober.

Over 125 people from the US and the UK entered the essay contest.

The winners are:

First Prize:  Darlene DeMore of (Pennsylvania, USA)

Darlene wrote about her methadone treatment and 14 years of recovery.

When I became pregnant, I was terrified that I would not be able to take care of my child.  MAT allowed me to become well, function normally and raise a beautiful daughter.

Second Prize:  Louis Buchhold (California, USA)

Louis wrote about his naltrexone treatment and 11 years of recovery.

In 8 long years I had never been able to get longer than 30 days sober, being in/out of AA, therapy and having tried to kill myself…If it wasn’t for MAT I would not be here to tell my story.

Third Prize:  Ian Christenson (Minnesota, USA)

Ian wrote about his Suboxone treatment and 5 years of recovery.

“Suboxone saved my life…I had been attending 12 step groups but after years of heroin and pill addiction, numerous drug treatments, and chronically relapsing I had to do something different…I feared the judgments of others in recovery…MAT is the best decision I made in a long time…Suboxone has stopped my cravings and preoccupation with getting high…I’m 100% committed to my recovery…I now have a good job, a house, and a family…I now have something I never thought I could, sobriety and true happiness.

Congratulations to the winners on both their wonderful essays and their recovery success.

The contest was sponsored by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (funded by the US government), Faces & Voices of Recovery, and the National Alliance for Medication-Assisted Recovery.