16 sober before-and-after photos from real people who fought addiction — and won

Nearly 21 million Americans struggle with a substance use disorder (SUD) — the medical illness caused by recurring misuse of alcohol or drugs. In their most severe form, SUDs are known by a much more familiar name: Addiction.

But only about 10% of people with these disorders will get any kind of specialized treatment for them, according to a 2016 report released by the US Surgeon General.

There are many reasons for this gap, according to the report. Some people can't access or afford care. Some fear shame or discrimination that may come with speaking out. Others may not believe they have a problem at all.

Stats like these may make SUDs seem hopeless and unsolvable.

But the truth is that these disorders — even long-lasting, life-unraveling addictions — can be effectively treated.

INSIDER spoke with 16 individuals who've learned this by living through it. These stories and photos show their journeys from addiction to treatment to hard-fought recovery.

Editor's Note: A warning that this article contains language describing a suicide attempt and descriptive language that could be triggering for anyone struggling with or recovering from substance abuse.

Morgan Stroberg found her "savior" in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Morgan Stroberg/Instagram

Morgan Stroberg's alcohol misuse began with her very first drink at age 15.  

"As soon as I had that first drink, my life before was completely over," she told INSIDER. "I was in a frenzy; I had to have more. There was no defense."

At 19, Stroberg found her way to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an organization she characterized as her "savior." Since her introduction to AA meetings, she has logged significant periods of sober time and is currently celebrating six straight months without a drink.

"I had so much doubt and insecurity my entire life. Alcohol and drugs allowed me to have a new identity, one where I felt empowered for a long time," she said. "The reality is that the drugs and alcohol start to not work anymore. Our solution to the sickness inside of us fails. That's when we have to turn to other solutions. The good news is that there are many ways to get sober."

Now, Stroberg is 18 weeks pregnant — a life change that's further fueled her drive to remain sober.

"I need to be that amazing mom that I've always dreamed of being," she said.

Pablo's life changed after one night of drinking.

Courtesy Pablo

On the night of April 28, 2014, Pablo went to a bar and blacked out. When he woke up the next morning in bed, his blue button down shirt had turned red with blood.

"My jaw was broken. Two teeth were knocked out and one of them was chipped. I don't even know what happened," Pablo, 38, told INSIDER. "And I looked in the mirror that morning and I was like, I need help."

Pablo, who asked to be identified by first name only to protect his privacy, started drinking and smoking weed in junior high. Over the next 20 years, as his addiction intensified, he lost jobs, a relationship, his license, and his car. He went to rehab once and resumed drinking almost as soon as he'd finished.

But the morning he woke up with blood on his shirt, something changed.

A few days after the incident he went to an AA meeting. He'd been to plenty before, as part of punishment for prior DUI arrests, but he'd never really listened when he was present.

This time was different.

"That night I found my sponsor," Pablo said. (In AA parlance, a sponsor is a fellow alcoholic who provides guidance to newer members.) "I went up to him and I was like, 'Hey, I'm Pablo and I need help ... I'm either going to work this program or I'm going back to jail or I'm going to die.'"

Pablo threw himself into AA and reconnected with his Christian faith. Those combined forces helped him reach four years of sobriety this spring.

"It's different dealing with emotions raw, without a crutch of weed or alcohol. That is one of the difficult parts for me," he said. "[But] the main thing is realizing that I'm not a bad person, I've just made some bad decisions. And that there's a beautiful life there for everybody if you want it."

Austin Cooper says social media saved him.

Austin Cooper/Instagram

When Austin Cooper was in his 20s, gripped by alcohol addiction and contemplating suicide, he happened across an old acquaintance's social media profile.

"I saw someone on social media that I was friends with back in high school and who I knew had a drug problem," he told INSIDER. "I saw this person become open about going through rehab. I saw their journey of completely flipping everything around — they completely changed for the better. And it gave me this glimmer of hope."

Six months later, after an intervention, he entered a 22-day treatment program, then began attending AA meetings. This April, he celebrated five years of sobriety.

And in a way, he's come full circle. Today, Cooper, 30, runs a business called Sober Evolution, through which he offers one-on-one personal development coaching, plans alcohol-free social events, and runs a recovery-themed Instagram account with more than 40,000 followers.

"I wanted to use [Instagram] as a way of really getting my story out," he said. "To see if it can help someone in the same way that that one person years ago was able to help me."

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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