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50 Before And After Pictures That Show What Happens When People Overcome Addiction (New Pics)
Interview With Expert
Addiction changes people’s lives forever. But behind the stories of substance abuse are also those who managed to break out of it and see the brighter side of things. Whatever the reason for turning to drugs or alcohol was in the first place, the most important thing is that they found the courage and strength to turn their lives around.
Empowering others struggling with hardships, Bored Panda compiled a list of people who prove that overcoming anything is possible with the right mindset and support. Scroll down to see powerful before and after pictures of people’s astonishing achievements in kicking addictions’ behind.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out an important conversation with Gillian Tietz, educator and host of the Sober Powered podcast, and Dr. Hannah Roberts, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and mindful drinking coach, who use their background and experience to spread information about addiction.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I’m 19 Months Clean And I’m Finally Starting To See The Beauty In Life Again. Hope, This Inspires Some People Much Love
Tamra 2 years ago (edited)
I just want to say it's pretty brave of these folks to share photos of themselves at a time when they were at their lowest and most ill. I certainly don't have that kind of courage. I'm so glad they are all fortunate enough to also have a healthier, happier "after" photo to share.
RELATED:
#2
One Year Sober And 37 Kg (81 Lbs) Down! This Is The Longest I've Gone Without Alcohol Since I Was 15, And I'm Now 29
#3
I Was An Addict For Over 10 Years Of My Life, But My Son Came Into This World With A Sober Dad
#4
I Just Celebrated My 5th Year Of Being Clean. My Last Mugshot And A Picture From Today, 5 Years Difference. I Hope This Inspires Someone
#5
Photo 1: January 2020, Photo 2: October 2023. Now I Am 31 Years Old And Sober
After a 17-year journey of daily substance abuse involving drugs that nearly took my life, the transformation is one of my biggest achievements. During darkness, I have found a renewed sense of self. The glow I now radiate is not just visible but palpable. Happiness, once forgotten, has been replaced by a profound addiction to pride and self-love.
#6
Last January I Started My Sobriety And Health Journey, I Am A Year And 16 Days Sober And I've Lost A 130 Lbs Already
#7
While Addicted, My Face Collapsed Because I Lost Most Of My Teeth To Drugs, It's Just Miserable. It's Almost 2 Years After I Got Sober. Now I Have A Fuller Face And A New Puppy
Oh! And I found the love of my life, who is also sober.
Lunaofthenest (She/they) 2 years ago
I wish dental care were more affordable & accessible! If you manage to drag yourself out of the clutches of addiction then you should not have to choose between housing and dental care.
#8
1 Year Sober From Alcohol. I Never Thought I’d Be Able To Post This. But Here It Is! Life Isn’t Perfect, But It Is So Much Better
#9
200 Lbs To 105 Lbs In 3 Years. Fat Drunk Girl Is Now Sober And Toning This Body Up
#10
What A Great Change. I Hope These Pictures Will Inspire Someone
#11
90 Days Sober. 90 Days Since I Suffered Cardiac Arrest. 90 Days Since I Caught Pneumonia. But... 90 Days Since I Took The Opportunity To Have A Fresh Start
The left photo is when I came out of the hospital, and the right photo is today. Love to all.
#12
6 Years Sober
#13
Today, I'm 4 Months Sober And Free From My Substance Addiction. Every Day, I Wake Up, And I'm Grateful That I Never Have To Be That Sick Again. Thanks To My Family, Rehab, And Everyone Else
#14
Amazing Difference. Well Done
Ephemera Image 2 years ago
We need to normalise not drinking or doing d***s for social affairs. I have never drank or done d***s, and I hate it when people insist I have a drink at parties. I can't imagine what it's like for people trying to stay clean. They need to be supported.
#15
Congratulations And Keep It Up
pfeils wife 2 years ago
I'm SOOO happy for her! That first photo makes me so sad... it frightens me for her and her loved ones.
#16
2.5 Years Sober, Didn’t Have A Legit Job Or ID Until I Was 23. Crazy How Things Can Change If You Just Take The First Steps. I’m 25 Now And Would Never Look Back
Lunaofthenest (She/they) 2 years ago
Looks like two totally different people! Well done & congrats! Beautiful tattoos, btw! 😍
#17
I Don’t Have Any Friends To Tell This To, But I Hit 7 Years Clean. Never Thought I Would Live This Long Or Be Sober
#18
45 Days Sober Today
#19
Congratulations To You. That's Huge
#20
A Lot Has Changed In My Life Over This Past Year. I Didn’t Realize How Much Sobriety Helped My Skin Until Looking Back At Old Photos. February, 2020 vs. Today
#21
Alcoholism vs. Sobriety. Today Marks 1000 Days Sober. Going Into Rehab And Having The Courage To Ask For Help Saved My Life
#22
Deep In My Addiction (August 2020) vs. Now (April 2023). Recovery Is Possible
After a decade-long drug and alcohol addiction (and untreated bipolar disorder), many inpatient stays at rehabs, and lockdown mental health facilities, destroying everything around me (including the people I loved), in August of 2020, I almost died.
After a long stay in a mental health facility and then an inpatient substance abuse program, I lived for over a year in a halfway house. During this time, I met my current partner, continued to work on my recovery, and spent hours upon hours in therapy. Last month, my partner and I had our first child. I'm working on completing my master's degree, and I have genuine relationships with other humans. I wouldn't be here without the love and support of not just "my people" but also that of many mental health professionals.
#23
Glow Up From Drug Addict To Sober For 2 Years
And the best part is that my son was born on my birthday, and I've been sober ever since.
#24
20 Years Of Addiction And Almost Died 5 Times In A Month. 2 Years Later, I'm Clean, Sober And Have The Most Amazing Life
#25
4 Years Sober Today
#26
First Picture - Addicted To Drugs And Committing Crimes Left And Right. Second Picture - 9 Months Sober And No More Problems
#27
200 Lbs Down. 1 Year Drug And Alcohol-Free
#28
2 Years Sober And Recovering From Anorexia. 4 Years Between Pics - It’s Been A Long Journey. When I See Old Pictures I Hardly Recognize That Crazy Sad Girl, But I Feel For Her
#29
4 Years Sober After A Life Filled With Arrests And Psych Wards. Now I'm Engaged And A Counselor To The Homeless. Could Not Be More Grateful. One Of My Mugshots On The Left
#30
Getting Sober Is Hard And At Times Uncomfortable. But It Has Given Me My Life Back
All I used to look forward to was getting wasted. I was so uncomfortable in my skin that I only felt "good" when I was partying. Every day I make the conscious decision to stay sober because now I know that I can never go back to the hopelessness that I used to feel.
#31
My Two-Year Sobriety Transformation
#32
Me In Active Addiction vs. Me Today, 1 Year Sober
#33
6 Years Difference And 5 Years Sober
#34
Clean For 19 Months
#35
During Addiction vs. 30 Days Sober
#36
6 Months Sober And 16 Kg Down. I'm Finally Starting To Feel Like Myself Again
#37
Just A Picture To Remind Me That I Will Never Do It Again! I Am 90 Days Sober Now
Joshua Seaman 2 years ago
This looks fake. Either 2 different people and/or a whole lot of photoshop. Being 90 days sober doesn't shrink your nose too. And tattoo lines don't get darker and more pronounced with age.
#38
5 Years Clean And Sober Today From Crippling Addiction
#39
Seven And A Half Years Sober. Drugs Are Far From Easy To Quit Abusing. My Final Call Was On 9/6/16 And I Haven't Looked Back Since. Recovery Is Possible. I'm Proof Of That
#40
6-Months Clean Today. Recovering Addict. Drug Court Has Saved My Life
Emma S 2 years ago
I wish we did more of this in the UK instead of just putting addicts in prison when they get caught shoplifting to fund their habit. Prison doesn't address the underlying issues and people often get released with no money, no where to live and no support and we wonder why they reoffend and relapse.
#41
You’re On The Right Way Now
#42
3 Years Alcohol-Free. A Lot Can Change With Effort
#43
2 Years Sober Of Drugs And 2 Months Sober Of Alcohol. Left Is At My Lowest After A Bender And Right Is Me Today Sober. Thank You For All The Advice And Confidence
#44
At The Beginning Of 2023 I Was In Prison For My Second DUI, Today I'm A Year Sober And 60 Pounds Down
#45
254 Days Into This Journey From What Started As 30 Days Of Dry January. What I’ve Learned Is That I Never Needed Alcohol To Be The Life Of The Party
#46
This Week Marks 3 Years Since I’ve Had A Sip Of Alcohol. A Blacked Out Zoom Call At The Height Of My Alcoholism vs. The Same Physical Location, But In A Much Better Place Mentally
It makes me smile to know that my son gets the present mom on the right.
#47
There’re 3 Years Between These Photos But It Feels Like My Entire Life. Went Cold Turkey A Little Over A Month After The Photo On The Left
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
Any pandas know what those are on her chest in the left one? Bruises? Hickeys? Rash?
#48
26 To 30. I Am A Recovered Alcoholic, Quit Smoking A Pack A Day, Developed A Skincare Routine That Makes Me Glow, And Blasted My Forehead With Botox
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
Holy cow she looks 20 years younger. And the smile is so much more real!
#49
Me At The Deepest Of My Drug Addiction vs. Me Sober
#50
Me, At My Worst In Active Addiction vs. Me, Almost A Year And A Half Sober
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Trisec Tebeakesse 2 years ago
New at this. Just three days clean here. Everybody has to start someplace.
Mike F 2 years ago (edited)
Hang in there, man. God, it's so hard sometimes! When I was in treatment one of the counselors (who had also been a user) said, and it was very true, that even when we weren't high, we were thinking about getting "more" to stay high and it was absolutely true. The first thing I noticed when I got sober was the ABSENCE of the need to get another bottle so I wouldn't run out. I tell myself that every time I wake up and feel like c**p (old man pains), that I'm so very grateful I no longer have that need. I build on this every day and you can as well! ETA, I'm coming up on 12 years and if I can do it you can as well! ❤️
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Carla Phillips 2 years ago
I can't stop myself from crying reading these! Congrats to everyone of you and to all those in recovery. It is hard. It is work. And I'm finally starting to feel a bit normal again. 103 days clean today. Cold turkey and it was the worst two weeks of my life. Thank you for this post. #wedorecover
Nikole 2 years ago
Oh I am crying too. I know what I need to do (yet again) but I never seem to be able to maintain sobriety.
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Emma S 2 years ago
Great article. I'm 7 years sober now after being hospitalised in 2017. One day at a time. ❤️
Trisec Tebeakesse 2 years ago
New at this. Just three days clean here. Everybody has to start someplace.
Mike F 2 years ago (edited)
Hang in there, man. God, it's so hard sometimes! When I was in treatment one of the counselors (who had also been a user) said, and it was very true, that even when we weren't high, we were thinking about getting "more" to stay high and it was absolutely true. The first thing I noticed when I got sober was the ABSENCE of the need to get another bottle so I wouldn't run out. I tell myself that every time I wake up and feel like c**p (old man pains), that I'm so very grateful I no longer have that need. I build on this every day and you can as well! ETA, I'm coming up on 12 years and if I can do it you can as well! ❤️
Load More Replies... Carla Phillips 2 years ago
I can't stop myself from crying reading these! Congrats to everyone of you and to all those in recovery. It is hard. It is work. And I'm finally starting to feel a bit normal again. 103 days clean today. Cold turkey and it was the worst two weeks of my life. Thank you for this post. #wedorecover
Nikole 2 years ago
Oh I am crying too. I know what I need to do (yet again) but I never seem to be able to maintain sobriety.
Load More Replies... Emma S 2 years ago
Great article. I'm 7 years sober now after being hospitalised in 2017. One day at a time. ❤️
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