Matt Peterson's Story of Addiction Recovery

Matthew Peterson, CRPS, NCPS • February 1, 2024

My name is Matt Peterson, and I live in Tampa Bay, Florida. My sobriety date is 12/23/2010. 


Growing up, I had a chaotic home life at times. My parents divorced when I was 12 years old, and it felt like life was spinning out of control. I remember going to an inpatient mental health unit for 30 days at 12 years old, due to my depression, self harm, and suicidal thoughts. This experience of being hospitalized did not help me. 


I was full of fear, hopelessness, distrust, and anger. At 15 I got drunk for the first time, and it felt like all my problems melted away. I felt confident, numb, happy, and powerful all at the same time. Around age 16 I took on a persona as “the party guy”. I was responsible for finding alcohol, putting together parties, and I finally felt liked, needed, and valued by everyone. 


Once I got a car and started driving, things got worse. I was now routinely drinking and driving, and was obsessed with alcohol. I would spend all week thinking about the next party I could plan. By 17, I was starting to break my own rules. Now I was binge drinking at parties, and also at home by myself. 


Addiction and mental health challenges run throughout my family tree. By October of 2010, I had overdosed in a suicide attempt after my dad found my hidden stash of alcohol. At this point in time, drinking was the only thing that brought me happiness. I tried out a couple of 12 step meetings, and I could admit that I never drank in moderation, but the consequences that people were sharing about had not happened to me yet. 


That all changed on 12/22/2010. I had been drinking heavily that night, and could barely walk. But I was convinced I could still drive, due to my alcoholic insanity. I was pulled over for speeding. I sat there thinking “There’s no way I can talk to a cop right now, I’m plastered.” I looked around at the empty four loko cans littering the floor of my car, and said screw it. I took off as fast as I could. My best friend in the seat next to me said it looked like I was possessed. And I was. Once I started drinking, all that mattered was the ability to continue drinking, and nothing could stop me. 


About a minute later, I ended up spinning into a guardrail at 120 mph, and totaled my car. By some miracle, I did not hit a family on the interstate, and my best friend and I were left virtually unharmed. I was taken to the hospital for some minor injuries, and then spent Christmas in a psych ward. Here I was faced with two options. Go to prison for 9 years due to the felony evading arrest charge, DUI, etc. or go to treatment for 90 days, and I would have a chance at freedom. 


I surrendered. The jig was up. There were no more escape hatches to crawl out of. While in treatment I became fully convinced that I was bodily and mentally different from my fellows, and my experience with drinking has shown me that. I took suggestions, and developed a connection with a higher power that has kept me alive during some of the darkest times of my life. 


I was able to graduate high school while in treatment, enroll in college, connect with other young people in recovery, and finally developed trust with my family again. 


Life has still been full of challenges since beginning my recovery journey, but my decision to not take a drink, one day at a time, has given me the ability to get through all of these challenges. My willingness to be authentic and vulnerable with my support system is what has helped me the most. 


I firmly believe that the reason I am alive today is to help others that struggle with substance use and mental health challenges. This is my passion. If you are new to recovery, it’s never too early or too late to begin your recovery journey. Today is the perfect time.

Jason's Story - From Rock Bottom to New Heights: My Journey of Recovery and Reinvention

By Jason Ertrachter • February 4, 2025
With over a decade of alcohol and drug abuse, it became clear I could not drink responsibly or consume in moderation. Upon further review, I came to understand I was never able to drink responsibly and was predisposed to consume in excess. Moderation is a construct I still don’t understand. Alcohol, drugs, sugar, ego, all things I love to indulge in. At 25 years old, weeks before the pandemic, I found myself being escorted by security from my beloved office in a sought-after industry in a glamorous part of Los Angeles. Pursuing a career in talent management, the late nights, weekly drinking, daily drug use culminated in the unavoidable fear, anxiety and sense of calamity that led me to recovery. I asked myself, “What was the common denominator between lost jobs, friends lost, arrests, hurt feelings and selfishness?” People, places, things were always changing, but the one constant in my story was me with drugs and alcohol. Walking into the West Hollywood Recovery Center on Monday February 5th, 2020 at noon was not my first meeting. It was, however, the first meeting at which I listened and actually took suggestions. Meetings as a teenager, and again in college when my drug use got bad, were simply to get people off my back. As I look back, I understand that I actually needed to get out of my own way, not have those who loved me off of my back. I am grateful to have gotten sober during a time when the world shut down and so many struggled. I had nowhere to go, no outside distractions to challenge my commitment. I fully emerged myself in meetings and all that AA had to offer for young people. There were thousands of virtual meetings at every hour of the day, but more importantly, rooms and outdoor meetings in LA that never missed a beat. There was an underground community of meeting makers that continued to go to in-person meetings, masks on, hugs and fellowship. I found that the work of early recovery far outweighed the isolation. I left the entertainment industry with two years of sobriety. New career opportunities opened up pretty quickly for me. Transitioning into the startup and tech sales world, I was able to move back home to New York and be closer to my family. As my sobriety continued, new career paths continued to present themselves. When I was introduced to Matt and AJ, I was immediately impressed with their mission and welcomed the opportunity to join the team. I am confident that the combination of my personal and professional success, as well as my CARC, CRPA certification, made my decision the perfect one for me. Having hit my stride in my own recovery, I now see that that my purpose is to help others. It is a purpose I do not take lightly. I bring the same energy and focus that has helped me to get where I am today to other individuals and families alike looking for a better way.

Stephanie's Story - My Journey to Addiction Recovery and Giving Back

By Stephanie Myers, CPRS • January 29, 2025
My name is Stephanie Myers, and I am excited to be part of the incredible team at You Are Accountable . As difficult as my journey prior to recovery was, I am grateful for every step along the way. My recovery journey began five years ago through what I believe was divine intervention. At my lowest point—mentally, physically, and spiritually—I was led to a 12-step recovery program. Most of my life was spent seeking relief from my internal and external struggles. During my teenage years, I thought I had found a solution, but my addiction only progressed, leading me to the depths of despair. My addiction compromised my morals, diminished my integrity, and left me with a profound sense of hopelessness. Overwhelmed by guilt and shame, I realized that everything in my life had to change. I became willing to do whatever it took to shift the trajectory of my life. Gradually, I connected with others who understood my pain and had found their way to recovery. I dedicated myself to internal work and began to fill the spiritual void that I had been attempting to fill with substances. Today, my life is filled with purpose, love, and more beauty than I could have ever imagined five years ago. It is my passion to help others realize that there is hope on the other side of addiction. As a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, I strive to help plant the seed of recovery and help others grow along their path to recovery.

Brittany's Story: Overcoming Addiction to Find Hope, Healing, and Purpose

By Brittany Pealer, CRPS • January 28, 2025
My name is Brittany, and I’m honored to be part of the team at You Are Accountable . My journey to recovery has been filled with struggles, lessons, and, ultimately, transformation. For years, I lived in the utter hopelessness of addiction, believing there was no way out. A "normal" life felt completely out of reach, and even as a child, I never felt like I had a true purpose. Throughout my active addiction, I found myself trapped in a relentless cycle. I would put one substance down—whether through treatment or court-ordered intervention—but almost immediately, I would pick up another. Each time, I restarted the same painful, destructive cycle, convinced that I could never break free. It wasn’t until I realized that recovery is an inside job that things began to change. Changing people, places, and things (and substances) can only do so much for so long; true recovery requires doing the hard work within. My turning point came when I became pregnant with my first daughter. For the first time in my life, I found a reason to fight for something greater than myself. That moment marked the beginning of my journey to recovery, and through that journey, I discovered the life I never thought was possible. Today, I’m blessed with an amazing job, a beautiful family with two incredible daughters, and an active role in my recovery community. As a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and Recovery Coach, I am passionate about helping others find hope and healing. I understand the challenges of breaking free from addiction, and I’m living proof that it’s possible to create a life filled with purpose, joy, and connection. Recovery has given me everything I once believed was out of reach, and I’m honored to walk alongside others as they embark on their own journeys to freedom.
Share by: