ELM GROVE, Wis. — Chris Sontag enjoys sitting on his porch and playing with LEGOs. It’s how he unwinds after a stressful day.
“It’s a form of meditation almost,” said Sontag. “Where it’s all I’m thinking of and I just feel so relaxed afterwards.”
It keeps his mind busy.
“I haven’t thought about work stress, family stress, life stress,” said Sontag. “Anything I just thought about [was], ‘Where’s this piece and where does it go?’”
Nearly four years ago, Sontag said he used alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress. He said he would find himself turning to a bottle several times a day and hid it from his wife and kids.
“When I would have a stressful meeting come up, I would go sneak a little bit of alcohol from the bottle and take a shot,” said Sontag. “Then when the stressful meeting was over, I would take a shot to cool my nerves after the meeting. It became a habit and a routine. I wasn’t fully aware of it.”
Sontag said he never thought he had a real problem until things took a turn for the worse during the pandemic.
“I was so miserable, so unhappy,” said Sontag. “I started getting in trouble at work. Things around the house, my wife was upset with me. My kids found me passed out multiple times. They were scared; they didn’t realize why daddy wasn’t waking up.”
He eventually asked his wife for help and began treatment at Rogers Behavioral Health.
Sontag said after two months sober, he relapsed and went through the program again. This time, he said it was different and he took it more seriously and began going to AA meetings.
“Some of the most proud moments of my life is getting these tokens,” said Sontag. “It’s hard to describe.”
Sontag said he was hesitant about getting help, but it’s changed his life.
Pamela Eichler is an addiction counselor at Rogers Behavioral Health. Eichler said there’s always help for those going through an addiction and their loved ones.
“The hardest thing anybody can do that suffers with a substance use disorder is recovery,” said Eichler. “Using is the easier answer. Doing the exact opposite and working on yourself is the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but the most rewarding.”
Sontag said he’s thankful his wife stuck by his side through all of this. He said he hopes his story inspires others facing similar issues with addiction.
“It’s not easy,” said Sontag. “It takes time. It’s not a simple flip of switch, but it’s a kind of thing that can be done. Anyone can do it.”
The month of April is Alcohol Awareness Month. It’s held each year to raise awareness about alcohol abuse.
If you or you know someone struggling with addiction, visit the National Rehab Hotline website or call 866-210-1303.