Celebrating Sobriety in Law Enforcement: My Husband’s Journey to One Year Sober

Sobriety is a milestone worth celebrating, especially when you are married to someone in law enforcement. Today, I want to share a deeply personal story with you all. Recently, my husband celebrated his one year anniversary of being sober. It’s been a challenging, transformative, and inspiring year - not just for him, but for our family as a whole.

The Stress of the Badge

Law enforcement is a career like no other. It's not just a job; it's a lifestyle. The stress of long hours, the weight of making life-and-death decisions, and the emotional toll of witnessing the worst parts of humanity can be overwhelming. For many officers, alcohol becomes an escape—a way to numb the pain, silence the noise, and cope with the pressures of the job.

For my husband, that escape turned into a habit, and over time, it consumed him. It started out as a drink after a long and stressful shift. And then turned into several. Or, staying up late into the wee hours of the night, alone, might as well have a few. It was easy to justify at first, with having no responsibilities at the time, but then a wife and several children entered the picture and became the ultimate priority.

Hitting the Turning Point

For him, it wasn't about needing the drink. It was the inability to stop once he took the first sip of the night. Sobriety wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t one he made overnight. Like many law enforcement families, we’re no strangers to pride, resilience, and the "we can handle this on our own" mindset. But it became clear that this wasn’t something we could ignore. It was starting to affect our family life.

The turning point came when he realized alcohol wasn’t just numbing the bad—it was also robbing him of the good. He wanted to take control of his health, well-being and mental toughness.

He looked in the mirror one day and realized he didn't like the person he saw. He had gained weight, was out of shape, and wasn't in a good head space. So, he decided it was time to make a change.

The Journey to Sobriety

Getting sober is never a straight path. For my husband, it meant acknowledging the problem, seeking help, and finding healthier outlets for the stress that comes with being a police officer. He leaned into his support system, including family, friends, and colleagues who encouraged him every step of the way.

He leaned into the fitness world. After recently reading a David Goggins book, he decided he needed to strengthen his mind and body. With choosing sobriety, he decided he wanted to run a marathon that summer. He got started in his running journey and was able to complete his first half marathon early that summer and ran a full marathon a month later. He also completed several other smaller 5k and 10k runs and even watched his daughter run her first kids race as well. He also started doing cold water plunges every morning, sauna sessions at night, and started making heathier food choices. I also really enjoyed the sauna sessions for my own personal physical and mental health.

My husband incorporated the kids in his exercising. His daughter would ride her bike while he pushed our son in the stroller and off they went on a 4 mile run. He would go circuit work outs in the garage in the summer while the kids played outside, often mimicking the exercises he was doing.

I tried to join in on the physical fitness, but I was also pregnant with our second son during the majority of this time. Chasing around a 0-1 year old and a 5 year old while pregnant was enough exercise for me in a day. But, now that the kids are getting older, and sleeping better, I hope to join in on the exercising part soon.

Exercise, family, self care and keeping a close circle, became pillars of his sobriety journey. I saw a transformation in him - not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. It wasn't just about quitting alcohol; it was about reclaiming his life.

The Challenges He Faced

I asked my husband if he wanted to add anything to this blog post himself. He wanted me to share that it is a very difficult road but can be done. He struggled at first in social settings. As people within our circle didn't know that he was sober and would ask him if he wanted anything to drink. But, once our family and friends knew of his decision, they never asked him about having a drink again. Instead, they asked him how his sobriety was going and supported his decisions surrounding being sober.

Once he learned who he was as a person in social drinking situations, the decision became easier. His decision to become sober came around the same time our first son was starting to become more mobile as a baby. And going to breweries, wineries, and bars became nearly impossible with a baby who never wants to sit still. So, we stayed home more and focused on our growing little family life.

Because my husband had such a great support system behind him, his journey was simplified. I supported his long runs, marathon training, work outs, and crazy meal ideas. His mother has been sober for 25+ years which also provided a huge support system and someone he could look up to for support. And we tightened up our circle of friends and focused on positivity only and never gave negativity any energy. We focused inward and have kept this outlook on life going.

Celebrating One Year

Recently, we celebrated my husband's one year sobriety anniversary. I couldn't be more proud of the courage, commitment, and determination he's shown over the past year. Sobriety isn't always easy, but it's worth it.

To my husband: Thank you for choosing this path, for choosing us, and for showing me what true strength looks like. You are my hero, both in and out of uniform.

To everyone reading this; if you or someone you love is struggling, know that support is available. Together, we can break the stigma, build each other up, and celebrate the victories - big and small.

Here's to one year and counting!