"I just wanted to share how PoGo has helped me through my addiction/changed my life."

#PokemonGO: I've always loved Pokemon ever since the original Red and Blue came out in 1996, I am now 30, and it has been an integral part of my life ever since. But when I was about 23 I started doing opiates. First it was Percocet and then it lead to heroin. Nothing has ever had that much power over me and been so caustic to my life, while at the same time needing it all the time, and willing to risk my life, safety, and relationships to acquire it. My life from 23 to 28 was spent in and out of rehab, overdosing 20 plus times, and just not having the best of luck in recovery. But about halfway through turning 28, I had stabilized my life, finally had a nice phone that I didn't pawn or wasn't a flip phone. And they always tell you to change people, places and things. And that's where I always struggled, the boredom would set in, along with the anxiety always feeling like I had to do something, and naturally that has always just brought me back to drugs. But then I started playing Pokemon Go, and I was over the moon. Not only did it fulfill my childhood fantasy of Pokemon in real life and being able to be my own version of Ash Ketchum. But it also gave me something to do besides therapy, outpatient, and taking care of my dad with early onset dementia. It made me motivated to go outside and exercise and to make friends with people who shared the same interest/hobby of mine, that wasn't destructive to our health/ wellbeing. It's a sober interactive family friendly brilliant game that has honestly helped me through some really hard things. I'm crying now while writing this, because I'm a little over a year sober now, and although I wanted to change and better myself, Pokemon Go was just as instrumental in my recovery as those were. My life is finally my life and I love it. So thank you Pokemon Go for helping me through this super dark time in my life. I also wanted to share this because the opiate epidemic is very real, and it's harmed so many people. If I can share this, and help anyone in any way, it would all be worth it. Thank you so much for allowing me to ramble and get #deep, and thank you Pokemon Go for all the good, SOBER times you have provided, and here's to many more!! via /r/pokemongo https://ift.tt/2PDHUnZ