‘I didn’t know life could actually feel this good’
Published Feb. 13, 2025
Even while Jeremiah raises kids and navigates a stressful job—where he’s the put-out-fires guy—he’s learning to slow down. He’s also staying sober.
“I’m a lot more focused, clear-headed,” he said. “It’s easier to solve problems when I’ve been sober like this.”
Originally from Wisconsin, Jeremiah grew up in a family where alcohol was a “big thing.”
“I started drinking at 12 years old,” he said. “That’s how I was trained to deal with my problems.”
Heavy drinking continued throughout Jeremiah’s high school and college years. Once he got married in 2017, he drank less often, but he continued to rely on alcohol during times of hardship.
That pattern became apparent in the weeks before his wife’s father passed away, when he spent a lot of time by himself.
“That’s when I really realized I had a problem. Any time I was alone, dealing with stress, I would drink,” he said.
After that turning point, Jeremiah made an appointment with Face It TOGETHER. He was nervous and thought he would be judged. He was scared to open up.
“Honestly, it was really welcoming. It felt like I was going into someone’s house and they were helping me,” he said. “Every time I come in there, everyone says hi. We’re trying to lift each other up.”
Before moving to South Dakota, Jeremiah had tried getting help from two different outpatient treatment centers.
“They wouldn’t take me because I wouldn’t have enough issues. They took me in, did evaluations, then said I didn’t have enough problems,” he said. “That was also my fear for Face It TOGETHER; I thought I wouldn’t be welcomed.”
In addition to peer coaching, Jeremiah sees a therapist and found the right medication for his major depression disorder. Those three elements have been the key to his wellness.
“Having a team was really nice,” he said. “I don’t have to face it alone.”
One of the most helpful concepts Jeremiah learned from his peer coach, Joe (who’s now retired), was slowing down.
“I didn’t realize something so simple could have such a big impact. I never realized how fast I was moving until Face It TOGETHER,” he said. “I slow down, take a breath and take the situation in.”
In sobriety, Jeremiah gets to be there for his family. He’s also passing his lessons learned to his daughters.
“I was raised completely opposite of how I want to raise them,” he said. “On a bad day, you don’t go to a bar and drink about your issues. You talk about them, and it’s OK to share your feelings.”
Despite navigating stressors and difficult emotions—emotions he used to suppress with alcohol—Jeremiah is enjoying life.
"I didn’t know life could actually feel this good,” he said. “I finally feel like I’m out of the dark and going into the light again and can live life.”