As a child, Pedro accidentally discovered that the man he called father was not his biological parent. This revelation had a profound emotional impact on him, plunging his childhood into deep confusion: "Suddenly, everything I thought I knew about myself and my family fell apart," he shared during his appearance on the podcast The Joy of Living in Sobriety, hosted by psychologist Enrique Corral.

This discovery was just the beginning of a series of events that would shape his life. Pedro grew up in an environment of violence, where his mother exhibited aggressive behavior and his stepfather struggled with alcoholism. "It was like living in a constant storm. I never knew when the next outburst would come," he recalls.

This environment, far from providing the security and love he needed, profoundly affected his emotional development, planting seeds of insecurity and fear within him. He shared that from a very young age, he felt rejected by his mother, a woman who, according to him, never expressed love. "I didn't understand why, but I always felt that I wasn't enough, that I wasn't loved," he remembered with sadness. This feeling of rejection stayed with him throughout his life, slowly eroding his self-esteem and leading him to seek comfort in dangerous paths.

It wasn't until he was 40 years old that Pedro tried cocaine for the first time. It happened in a carpentry workshop, a place that was supposed to be a refuge but ended up being the setting for the beginning of his addiction: "I was already drinking a lot of alcohol, then came the cocaine, and later the ice," he admitted.

Years later, when his life was at a critical point, Pedro made a difficult decision: to admit to his mother that he had a drug problem. It was a moment of vulnerability and honesty that marked a turning point in his life. "It wasn't easy, but I knew I had to say it. I needed help, even though I wasn't sure where to find it," he reflected.

On his path to recovery, Pedro realized that his drug use was a symptom of deeper issues. It wasn't just about the substance; it was his way of coping with the pain and confusion that had built up since childhood. This introspection led him to seek help, acknowledging that he needed to work on himself to truly heal.

The intervention of a psychologist was crucial in his recovery process. With the support and feedback he received, Pedro began making significant changes in his life: "I started to see things differently, to understand that not everything was lost," he says, with a new sense of hope in his voice.

Determined to change, Pedro committed to staying in a rehabilitation center for two years. It was a difficult but necessary decision: "I realized that my life was worth it, but I had to make a real effort to change."

During his time in rehabilitation, Pedro also reflected on the impact of his actions on others. "I destroyed a family. My decisions didn’t just affect me; they affected the people around me," he acknowledges, noting that this realization was a trigger for his desire to quit drugs.

As he progressed in his recovery, Pedro began to hear, perhaps for the first time in his life, that he was valuable as a person. This affirmation, repeated by those who supported him, helped him rebuild his self-esteem and heal his relationship with God. "I finally started to believe it. I started to value myself, and that changed everything," he concluded.

Pedro's story is a powerful testimony that, even in the most difficult circumstances, recovery is possible. With the right support, like that provided by the therapeutic community Misión Zoe, Pedro has transformed his life and now seeks to inspire others who, like him, once felt lost.

Invitado Gabriel Alcohólicos Anónimos