Untitled Issue 6 Article on Addiction and Recovery
My name is Ethan Springle aka Nirps. I spent roughly 10 years in active addiction before I got into my third car crash and finally made the choice the try a new way of life. I like to say I’m a result from a classic case of middle class divorce, when I was young my parents spent years deciding to divorce or stay together. Leading me to live between different family members until my grandparents finally took me in when I was 8. The first time I ever tried a substance was when I was 9 and tried marijuana with my older cousin and his friends to fit in with them, the feeling it gave me and the sense of worry that was released temporarily from me had me chasing it for years to come. Later when I was 16 I started using heroin to cope with the passing of a girlfriend of mine. I threw up and was immediately in love with the feeling and became hooked to the feeling I’d get from changing my mind state with drugs and the thrill of drinking. I had a promising future ahead of me with swimming and a college education waiting for me but I turned it down for the pursuit of drugs. After highschool I would be running around with people who had no regard for my life so I ended up catching felony charges at 19, I come from a island of 200 people in North Carolina so everyone knew of my mistakes. My mother wanting to maintain her name and reputation kicked me out of her house, over the course of the coming months I was couch surfing until a local sailor gave me his extra sailboat to live on. Throughout 2018 and 2019 I started selling enough drugs to afford my own apartment. At the end of 2020 after a toxic relationship that split ways I totaled a car of mine in the pursuit of obtaining my next high. After this my mom took me back in to get back on my feet but I still had the monkey of addiction still on my back. As time went on I wrecked another car and my drug and alcohol habit developed into $100 a day addiction.
In January of 2022 I totaled my mothers vehicle and went to jail for the final time, blaming everyone but myself for my actions I knew I needed something better. I found a sober living home to move into and started my journey in sobriety on January 24th 2022. Since being in the rooms of AA and sober living I’ve found a new sense of freedom and deliverance from my addictions, I’m now working for the sober living that I moved into. Being given the opportunity to travel to different homes within the company and help other guys like myself overcome addiction. Sharing my experience, strength, and hope has been a renewing experience to live I enjoy so much in my life that I never though possible. If I could give any advice to someone still struggling with substances, I’d say that, you are not alone, especially in the folk punk and punk scene. There are so many resources and people available to help you through it. Don’t stop or give up to early on sobriety, the miracles will happen and your life will be radically changed before you even know it.