Fighting for recovery after a 15-year addiction: Dan’s story
Published Aug. 28, 2024
For most of his life, Dan Penn didn’t have goals or hope for his future.
“I was trying to exist, not even live, just exist,” he said. "Everything I’m doing now I should’ve done 15 years ago.”
From LaPorte, Indiana, Penn struggled with a number of drugs, including marijuana, spice and crack over the years. In the midst of his addiction, he was also diagnosed with clinical depression.
“I hit rock bottom quite a few times, but after a while you get tired of that,” he said. “I used to do everything for drugs. Now, I do everything to stay off of drugs.”
In the most difficult times of Penn’s life, he had thoughts of giving up. He’s grateful for his will and the knowledge that he couldn’t get where he needs to be if he continued using drugs.
“I’ve always had a toolbox sitting in front of me to get to recovery and stay there, but I never actually opened it to use the tools,” he said.
Penn can’t point to one event as the reason why he began recovery. It was an accumulation of a lot of moments, and he was ready to put his mind to it.
As he was looking for all the help he could get, he came across Face It TOGETHER.
“My first impression was that there are still caring people in this world,” he said. “Good help and good people are hard to find, and I’ve found both of them in Face It TOGETHER.”
It was easy for Penn to connect with his coach, Shannon, who has been through her own drug addiction.
“She’s amazing. She’s an attentive listener and always respectful. She tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear,” he said. “I’ve grown a strong love for her.”
Each week, Penn and Shannon focus on three goals he wants to accomplish.
“That keeps me on track,” he said. “Shannon understands you. She can joke with you and be a friend, but at the same time be about business and get stuff done.”
Goal setting has become an important tool for Penn’s wellness. Just a few of his goals include staying sober, slowly getting out of financial debt and losing weight. He’s also been able to strengthen his relationship with his 15-year-old daughter.
“I’ve been using her whole life,” he said. “Every day we spend together that I’m not using is a win in my book.”
In addition to his Face It TOGETHER coach, Penn sees a psychiatrist and a therapist. He tries to work out three times a week, he attends support group meetings and he journals often.
“I do quite a bit to counteract that depression. I’m actually doing the work,” he said. “Life does get hard, but I never stop trying.”
Recovery has brought happiness, peace and joy to Penn’s life. He also gets to experience more negative emotions now that he’s not using drugs for the “false happiness.”
“It’s a double-edged sword,” he said. “You actually get to experience the positive emotions, and on the other side, there’s the natural anxiety, the sadness, the anger. But those are the emotions that make you appreciate the good, happy ones more.”
As Penn reflects on those 15 years of addiction, he believes it’s a journey he had to go through.
“I got knocked down seven times, and I got back up eight. Every time was a lesson,” he said. “It’s definitely about the journey, not the finish. You have to keep fighting.”