Yianni Tsatas
Recovery Coach, Interventionist and Sober Companion
I’m a recovered cocaine addict and use my experience to help others. I achieved sobriety and my hope is to help others who are struggling with the same challenges I once did.
My Story
Let’s go back to when I was young. When I was 5 years old my sister got married and left the house. When I was 7 years old my dad and older brother got into a big argument and my brother left home as well. I did not see my brother until three years after that. The reason I say this is because from there I felt abandoned and I carried that feeling until I got to recovery without even realizing that it was there. I was a big people pleaser. I gave too much to people simply to fit in and to be a part of certain groups. Growing up for me was normal. I grew up in a household that looked good on the outside but like most families we had issues on the inside. I remember when I was 16, I saw my father slap my mother. I could not stand that, so I beat my dad. He never touched my mom after that.
I started with weed, like most people do. I did not think much of it at the time. I remember drinking on a regular basis and it’s funny, today I look back and understand that I never drank to drink. I drank for the effect of alcohol. I did my first line of cocaine when I was 25 years old and that changed my whole life. I thought I was superman, untouchable. But cocaine brought me to my knees. At 37 I remember going into my mom’s house on my knees and asking her to call the police and to tell the cops I beat her because I needed to relax. There I was on my knees surrendering to the fact that I’m broken. Today I look at that as my step one: powerless over cocaine.
After that I tried to commit suicide and I woke up in the hospital. From there I continued drugging and drinking for about 2 weeks. I reached out for help to my cousin and we found a rehab center. I walked in there on November 1, 2016 and I have been sober ever since. I had no resistance to what I was taught there: I shut my mouth and listened to whatever was necessary to start living a better life. I was willing to do whatever it takes not to use, because I view using like I view death.
In recovery, I trust in God and I went back to school to get a University Degree – and now working in the field of helping others.
This was a beautiful moment in my life, when I volunteered to share my past addiction experience. I spoke to teenagers, to social workers and also to police officers. I talked about my personal addiction, solutions for addicts, how to overcome addiction and how recovery is possible no matter where you are in life.
