David Niknafs, was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic illness he was told he might not outlive. Growing up, people didn't ask him what he wanted to be. They asked when he was going to die. He formed friendships with other kids living with CF, grew close to them, and then had to watch them pass one by one.

Today, at 39, he's the oldest person with Cystic Fibrosis he currently knows of.

That reality shaped his relationship with addiction in ways most people never have to think about. For a long time, it kept him from pursuing recovery altogether. He prayed to end the pain. He didn't think he'd make it to another detox. And in one therapy session, the therapist told his parents plainly that they didn't know what to tell their son. In David's words: "Why would I want to get sober and die?"

He chose recovery anyway. And looking back, he calls treatment the single best time in his life—not because of the substance or the setting, but because of the growth that happened inside of it. He describes early recovery as a window most people can't fully understand unless they've been through it: "You're in this window of a growth that is impeccable, remarkable. Don't ever lose that."

Host Michael Herbert brings his own experience to the conversation, sharing how he sought a mental health evaluation before getting clean, hoping someone would tell him he was mentally ill so he could make sense of everything. It wasn't until the substance use was addressed that he could finally confront what had been present the whole time: depression he didn't even recognize while he was still using.

Between the two of them, this one stays with you.

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This episode is sponsored by Guardian Recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health challenges, Guardian can help. Visit https://www.guardianrecovery.com or call 888-721-3790 for confidential support and guidance.