Samantha Lander knows how it feels to be sucked into the spiral of addiction. She battled addictions, sold drugs, and spent time in jail. She was fortunate enough to have a family of support that got her to and through rehab and on the path to recovery. She now runs SeeFit Living, a local health and wellness company. Sharing what she’s learned along the way, she wants to support others who may not know where to turn.
“It’s been a roller coaster of a ride, but I know if I have my recovery, I will be ok. I must work on my recovery every day.”
Samantha goes on to share, “I have real people in my life I can count on. I am so blessed that after 13 years sober and a relapse, I am alive. My 9 lives are up! I hope anyone with long term sobriety who is just trying to get a day can learn from my story. Just because you have years of sobriety doesn’t mean that in one second you could relapse. St. Louis has a massive recovery community, and there is help. It truly is a disease, and you have to treat it like one and work to maintain that sobriety. I wanted to share this story in part to hold myself accountable but also to let others know that you can get sober. I pray this gives all the friends, families, and loved ones hope that it will be okay.”
St. Louis does have a solid recovery community, and knowing how to tap into it can be so helpful for those who need support.
Some local recovery events include:
Recovery Fest STL
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Kirkwood Park
Noon – 6 pm
RecoveryFest STL is an alcohol/drug-free festival of Fun, Music, and Connection celebrating the St. Louis Recovery Community and their allies.
St. Louis Fall Classic
September 29, 2023 – October 1, 2023
Crowne Plaza at St. Louis Airport
Samantha shares some tools and resources that are helpful for getting through addiction HERE.
Also, recognizing that being in recovery does not mean you have to give up socializing, and helping those around you understand that as well, makes recovery easier to navigate. Here are some tips to navigate staying sober while staying social.
Top five tips for when you are going out and just don’t want to drink:
- Take a sober buddy
- Bring your own beverage. Take Miighty Kind CBD drinks or flavored sparkling water. However, the beverage industry is booming with fun, tasty drinks that don’t have alcohol that everyone will love.
- Let people know you aren’t drinking or let’s be real, doing drugs. Weed runs rampant now that it’s legal. Remember, you don’t have to explain why.
- Think about the next day. Hangovers are never worth it! The headache, the bloat, the list goes on …
- Sleep always becomes an issue when you drink. At around 1 or 2 most people wake up because that is when the liver starts to detox all those toxins and says, “Whoa, now I really have to work.” We are already overloaded with lots of toxins daily; don’t mess your sleep up with another one.
- Be okay with staying home. You are not obligated to attend everything. If you are worried it might be to hard not to drink or you don’t want to upset your friends or family, just tell them you need a night at home, but let’s make coffee another day?
Mocktails are also another great way to go out and enjoy yourself without risking your recovery. Here are some yummy mocktails crafted by Samantha!
Surrounding yourself with support is the best way to reach recovery. If you’re looking for some social media support, here are some sober mamas that Samantha highly recommends following:
Favorite sober moms Instagram accounts:
Finally, there are many resources right here in St. Louis to help you reach and maintain your recovery status.
Find Local meeting guide for AA and NA All you have to have is the desire to stop drinking.
https://www.narcotics.com/na-meetings/
Alcoholics Anonymous central services for STL
Start Your Recovery
Top 50 Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers in STL
Start Here: Substance Abuse and Treatment
Substance Abuse + Mental Health Services Administration
Sober living houses in St. Louis:
Recovery St. Louis
Transitional Housing
Samantha Lander ( @seefitliving ) was born in St. Louis and grew up in both Webster and Clayton. She’s a single mom of Jaxson (6) and they have a dog named “Sugar”! She is a FUNCTIONAL DIAGNOSTIC nutritionist and personal trainer. She loves to help women get out of their rut and find the root cause of their health symptoms!
