The “Weekend Warrior” Trap
Cody Long grew up in McDowell County as a high-achieving student involved in every extracurricular activity available. However, the transition to college brought hidden struggles with depression and anxiety that he felt he had to bottle up. In 2004, while trying to balance studies at Concord University with the stress of helping his paralyzed grandfather at home, Cody began experimenting with pain pills. What started as “weekend warrior” behavior quickly spiraled into academic expulsion and an everyday habit that consumed his life.
“My weekends would look like drinking on Friday at the college with my fraternity brothers, then go home Saturday and do OxyContin. For a long time I was able to leave it at that. I considered myself one of those weekend warriors.”
Circus Peanuts and “Enabled by Status”
As his addiction deepened, Cody began to act in ways that contradicted his upbringing, including stealing from his beloved grandmother. His life became a cycle of legal trouble and DUIs, earning him the nickname “The Sweet Tooth Bandit” from a local magistrate after he was arrested for stealing a bag of circus peanuts while under the influence. For years, his family’s respected reputation in the community provided him with “grace” from the court system that he admits he initially took for granted, using it as a “cart blanche” to continue his lifestyle rather than a chance to change.
“Stealing from my grandparents was something that would never have crossed my mind before, but when I found myself resorting to things like stealing money out of her pocketbook or even stealing checks and forging her signature, I realized, ‘okay, this is not me.’ But at that point my disease was in control.”
A Divine “Ding” and a New Purpose
The true turning point came in 2021 while Cody was in a drug court program. Although he was close to graduating, he had relapsed and was living a double life. During a surprise home visit from his probation officer, Cody tried to hide his phone to conceal his drug use, but the device “dinged” in his pocket at the exact moment he tried to lie. He views that moment as a divine intervention that forced him into the honesty he needed. Today, Cody is over three years sober and works for the Supreme Court of Appeals as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist, helping other parents in McDowell County navigate their own paths to recovery.
“I needed to be held accountable and I was not willing to hold myself accountable, so some kind of divine intervention happened to make that happen. That was the chain of events that set off where I am at today. If it had not been for that moment, I wouldn’t be right here.”
Want to hear more about Cody’s incredible transformation and his stories from the “dark times” to today? You can watch the full interview and get the whole story right here.
