Joel W.

Life was pretty difficult for me growing up. I was bullied throughout school, and mostly kept to myself. This imbedded trust and self-confidence issues within me from a young age. My addiction began right before the passing of my mother. I found myself soothing internal pain and struggles with alcohol. After my mom died, my addiction spiraled out of control. Alcohol allowed me to avoid feeling unwanted emotions and past traumas. I found temporary peace in the bottle. Just prior to coming into the program, I had lost my apartment and felt as if my loved ones had given up on me. I knew that something had to change. I am here at Teen Challenge to learn how to trust God through painful and difficult times. I am here to allow God to remove vices from my life and transform me into the man he destined for me to be. I am looking forward to discovering my God-given purpose!