Pharmacology Cures (Guest Post)
I read an article in Discover Magazine, written by Jessica Snyder Sachs (October 2011 PG 55) regarding a cure for addiction. The gist of the article revolved around an injection that creates an antibody response when cocaine is taken. When a person takes this medication they do not get the euphoric effects of the drug. No matter how much cocaine the person used they were not going to get "high". It stated in the article, "the urine tests used to verify abstinence revealed that several users had tried to thwart the vaccination by overdosing. Some urine samples showed cocaine levels over a million measured in nanograms per milliliter." The researcher went on to say, "I have never seen a living person with over a 100,000".

I agree that these drugs, (there are several of them), can be very helpful in the treatment of addiction but they are far from a cure in my book. To actually be a cure it would need to take away the cravings as if the person had never started using drugs in the first place. If the person continues to take massive amounts of a drug to over come the treatment they are receiving they are still addicted even though they may not be getting any effects from the drug. It is the mental compulsion to use a drug sometimes after years of sobriety and the loss of control when using that is the heart and soul of addiction. Recovery is something more. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration defines recovery as: A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

Obviously, by this definition, recovery is a great deal more than not being able to get high; it is a fundamental change in thinking and behaving. It is taking responsibility for ourselves and our addiction. It is holistic involving all aspects of the human condition. Recovery takes place in a social context and occurs when people reach out to one another with compassion, sharing their own experiences and offering hope that change is possible. Recovery is about growth. It is a very powerful and human experience.

Disclaimer: If you are needing more extensive assistance or counseling, we can supply you with a list of available agencies to assist you. No blogs are ever meant to substitute a person seeking help through professional counseling.

Alcohol the legal Drug (Guest Post)

I would like to take this opportunity to discuss some misconceptions regarding alcohol. In this country we tend to categorize drugs as either hard or soft drugs. Alcohol is almost always considered a soft drug because it is legal. Certainly alcohol is not perceived as harmful as some of the “hard drugs” like Methamphetamine or Heroin. The same parents that turn a blind eye to a teenager’s use of alcohol would have a completely different response if the teenager was experimenting with those hard drugs, but let’s take an honest look at it. We know that 95% of all adults dependent on or abusing alcohol started drinking before the age of twenty-one. Introducing alcohol to a young adult or teenage brain has a greater impact because the brain is developing and has not reached maturity. This chemical experimentation changes the brain in fundamental ways.

Some of the areas of the body that long-term abuse of alcohol can damage are the Liver, Pancreas, Stomach, Cardio Vascular, Brain, Esophagus, and has also been linked to some forms of cancer. One example that demonstrates the harmfulness of alcohol is withdrawal symptoms from can occur from alcohol use. If a person has been binging on Methamphetamine for a few days they can go through withdrawal without medical intervention, but if a person has been binging on alcohol for several days they need to be screened for medical managed de-tox. The reason for this is that in some cases the withdrawal from the alcohol can be fatal. The tissues of the body get so adapted to the alcohol that when the alcohol is leaving the system the person can go into toxic shock and die. That is a pretty hard-core drug in my book.

It is important to remember that a drug is a drug. Whether a drug is legal or culturally accepted makes no difference to the body. There is no red flag in a person’s brain telling a person this drug goes here because it is legal and that drug goes there because it is illegal. The brain and body do not know a legal drug from an illegal drug, all it knows is the impact of the drug. The two legal drugs alcohol and tobacco are responsible for more deaths than all the illegal drugs combined. The number one cause of death for people between the ages of 16 and 34 are alcohol related car crashes. It is important for parents, educators, and others to keep this mind when discussing the impacts of drug use with our teenagers.

Disclaimer: If you are needing more extensive assistance or counseling, we can supply you with a list of available agencies to assist you. No blogs are ever meant to substitute a person seeking help through professional counseling.

Recovery and Anonymity? How do People Tell Their Stories? (Guest Post)

My name is ..... I have found long-term recovery in my life.

How does it feel for you to tell others that you are a recovering person? There has been a stigma attached to addiction and there are as many emotions around this topic as there are people.

I entered into recovery homeless, jobless, and with little hope. I am glad I found people who were not afraid to tell me that they were in recovery. I needed help! I was impressed with those that also seemed happy. I was not. I was depressed and worn out. I was spent. It seems important that we be careful about when and how we reveal our recovery experience to others.
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The 12 step programs certainly have had some concerns and expressed a need for Anonymity. The eleventh tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous states, “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.”
Addiction Treatment Programs also had some concerns and paved the way for much of the strict confidentiality laws that exist for a person’s medical records.
Is there a difference between anonymity and confidentiality? Have the two become entangled? Is there a clear separation?
I am in recovery. I really am. Should I keep it to myself? If I tell you, should you keep it confidential?

I believe that it is up to me as to what and when I tell people about my recovery. It has to be up to me and it has to be in my time. I personally was too ashamed of myself in early recovery to tell others. I needed confidential treatment. It was also suggested by many that humility was an important part of my recovery. I needed to not express that I was the best and more importantly I needed to not express that I was the worst either. Both are grandiose.

Telling others about my success could be seen as bragging. I personally have come to understand addiction and recovery well enough to announce I AM IN RECOVERY with ease. There is a lie. It depends upon where I am, who I am with, and what the circumstances are. I am a Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor licensed in Wisconsin. I have the luxury of being around a lot of understanding, supportive, educated and like-minded people. It makes it much easier when I feel safe to do so.
World-Wide Recovery Advocacy (WWRA) is place where it is safe and supportive to share our recovery stories. We support National Recovery Month and are trying to create a safe place to announce and celebrate our recovery. Please participate from wherever you are…scared and ashamed or confident and secure. Addiction and Recovery has led me to experience both…my way. Won’t you do it yours? It is OK! It has to be.

Disclaimer: Individuals are only sharing their experiences, strengths, & hopes. If you are needing more extensive assistance or counseling, we can supply you with a list of available agencies to assist you. No blogs are ever meant to substitute a person seeking help through professional counsel.

​TSOI also recognizes there are many paths to recovery. We respect a person's decision to follow what is working for them. This post in only one perspective.

Enabling versus Helping (Guest Post)
What’s the difference? It feels good to help people, right?  When does helping turn into enabling the person who is chemically dependent.  The following is a list of common enabling behaviors:

Denying      
"He is not an alcoholic”
“She doesn’t have drug problem”
“He doesn’t drink / use drugs”

Drinking or using with the person who is chemically dependent person
Avoiding the problem
Failing to identify express feelings (stuffing)
Keeping the peace at any price in the belief that good marriages/families lack conflict
Tranquilizing feelings with medications, food, work, etc

Minimizing
“He doesn’t use that much.”
“She doesn’t drink that often.”
“It’s not that bad”

Blaming, lecturing, arguing, etc. – as adults, if you are doing this behavior you are taking on responsibility that isn’t yours

Protecting
The chemically dependent from the consequences of their actions
The image of the chemically dependent person
The image of the family, of parents, of the employment setting, inc
The chemically dependent person from pain
Yourself from the pain

Feeling superior

Being responsible for the chemically dependent person
Taking on their responsibilities by doing things for them what they otherwise could or should be doing for themselves

Controlling
“Let’s skip the party this year” – avoiding the social situation in fear that something might happen
“Let’s not have Thanksgiving at our house this time.”

Waiting
“It’s just a phase she/he is going through; it will pass.
If you’ve caught yourself doing or saying any of the above on a regular occasion, chances are the relationship has surpassed “helping.”  The danger of enabling is that if the chemically dependent person doesn’t face some consequences for their actions, they most likely won’t have much if any motivation for change.  Remember we only usually change when we are uncomfortable.

Do celebrities have more difficulties overcoming addictions than others? Counselors have mixed views. 
Guest Post- http://writer4justice.wordpress.com/

The recent tragic death of Whitney Houston has once again brought drug abuse, particularly celebrity drug abuse, into the spotlight. Drug abuse for the famous has been and will continue to be a problem just as drug abuse for every other class of people, rich or poor, famous or not famous, skilled and talented or not so skilled and talented.
One thing that I have noticed over the years is that there seems to be different views and feelings in our society when it comes to certain people who struggle with addiction. When those with fame and popularity who are well liked for their special talents or family ties have tragic circumstances occur as a result of drug abuse, the general response and tone is compassion, concern, empathy and love. However, this does not seem to be the same views or shared feelings in our society for the less fortunate when they fall victim to drug abuse and addiction.

When a Ray Charles or Johnny Cash fall victim, we hope the best for them and then make a movie about their life telling how they overcame their problem and went on to become our greatest Americans. When Betty Ford became addicted to drugs, it was, "poor Betty”, our beloved first lady, she needs help and we will all be there for her. When Whitney dies so many people are shocked and full of grief wondering how did this happen and what could we have done to prevent this tragedy?
Our hearts and thoughts go out to these people and their families as they should, but what are our thoughts about the millions of other not so popular Americans who struggle and suffer with addiction? In these cases we often hear a totally different response. Those no good drug addicts that poison and endanger our society. They need to be taken off the streets and thrown in jail. We need to crack down on the drug dealers and throw away the key.

Something that we need to realize is that celebrities and wealthy people are not in the same position as those who do not have unlimited finances to support their habit. People with very little or no money are driven by their addiction to do things that they would have thought unthinkable just a few years or even a few months prior. We have all heard about the young women and even teenage girls who prostitute themselves in order to purchase enough drugs just to get them through that day or night. Addiction robs a person of their character and morals and leads a person into a survival mode where anything is possible. Unfortunately for the poor, this survival mode often leads to dangerous and more desperate measures than those that can readily dish out money to support their habit. Stealing, prostitution, joining a gang and selling drugs to support the habit becomes what has to be done to survive day by day.
In order to understand how this could happen to anyone, just think for a moment realistically, what would happen if we were to make cigarettes illegal tomorrow? Can anyone honestly say that our most upstanding citizens including police and judges wouldn’t be involved in any means possible to get their hands on that one pack of cigarettes? Of course they would, just as they did when trying to get the next drink during prohibition.

The interesting thing here is that it is easy to view people who we personally like and love as something of more value than those we don't. We want to help those that are specially gifted or that can give us the love and attention we need and are used to. We want to continue to enjoy what they can give to us, good music, good movies, great touchdowns, and so on. We even go so far as to eliminate the word addict when speaking about those we care so dearly for. For some reason, the term drug addict is automatically replaced with, Betty, our first lady, has a “Problem” and we will all be there for her. Immediately love, compassion and sympathy exist. Perhaps the question of values need to be asked of our society rather than those with the drug addiction on the street struggling to survive day-to-day in a very dangerous environment.

While watching a very popular TV show following Whitney's death, I took note of what was said by a so-called leading expert in the field of drug addiction. "Celebrities have a more difficult time overcoming drug addiction than other people. They have so much pressure and expectations put on them and they are always in the spotlight. Being a licensed drug abuse counselor that has worked in this field for fifteen years, hearing so-called top professionals of the field say something like this is extremely disappointing. I have heard these types of statements on a consistent basis over the last few years from several counselors who work with the rich and famous that has drug abuse problems. To be honest I would have turned the TV off when this interview started had it not been for the fact that someone else was already involved in watching the show. If the professional being interviewed were to have said something like, "celebrities face a certain set of unique difficulties that others do not", this would have been a true statement and I would have been all ears. Instead I listened again to someone talk about the “dilemma” of the rich and famous.

One day as I was driving four residents from an alcohol and drug abuse recovery support meeting back to our small and barely funded community halfway house, a young woman made a statement that I found to be simple but profoundly true. She said "You know, recovery is easier for people who have money. How are we supposed to learn how to have fun and enjoy living sober when we cannot afford to do anything"?

The quick answer for someone in my position is usually supposed to be one that immediately stops any self- pity from taking place and say something like, "Quit feeling sorry for yourself and get a job". The fact that I had been in her shoes at one time, I knew exactly what she was feeling. She was not looking for pity, but was truly making a heartfelt statement while presenting a sincere and honest question.

How does someone who is struggling go from where she is to where she needs to be as a financially and emotionally happy and secure individual? In today's real world there are very few living wage jobs and it is much harder for those with no special skills, formal education, no money and resources, or family to help. Over the last several years I have literally seen thousands of people in this situation. It is amazing to me how many head out clean and sober in many cases for the first time since being a juvenile. Many were on probation with a non -violent felony drug possession charge, now on their record, face the world with courage and hope in spite of having what most of us would look at as nothing to go on. They head out clean and straight, not knowing how they are going to be able to stay that way. They go from business to business being turned away over and over for every reason in the book, but most of all sorry we don't hire felons. Ironically we as a society expect these people to somehow miraculously pull themselves up and get a life.

How can any professional in the field say that celebrities have more pressures and difficulties than one of these people? Celebrities have many options that make it far easier in many ways than the average person struggling with drug abuse and dependency issues.

• Celebrities have the finances to take a break and get their head together for a while having the means to receive the best of care and treatment. The poor cannot.
• Celebrities don't have to have any expectations put on them in their career because they can stop, sit back enjoy their wealth and not have to work another day in their life if they so choose. The only expectations that they would have is the ones they would be allowing and choosing to let be put on themselves.
•  Celebrities have the money and resources to change careers at any time and become anything they want to be without even having the worry of paying back student loans as so many of our career seeking Americans face today. The list goes on of options and possibilities for the rich and famous.

Don't get me wrong; being a licensed substance abuse counselor who has worked in the field for fifteen years and a person who at one time in my life who also struggled with addiction, I do know that no matter who you are, rich or famous, the battle is more difficult than can be explained. However, the obstacles and dilemmas do not compare in the slightest to the millions who have been so much less fortunate, and who are so often brought up in poverty, broken families, and violent drug invested neighborhoods and the dead-end streets of our communities. These are the people who face the real pressures of this world and who struggle just to survive another day. They are the ones that are more often than not, born into poverty, violence, and broken homes with no real role models in their lives.

It is my opinion that before these so-called top professionals in the field make a statement like "celebrities have a more difficult time overcoming drug addiction than other people", they need to get a real education by getting out of their exclusive high-class celebrity rehab treatment facilities, and visit one of our county jails, community halfway houses or inner city schools.
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Resources for more information: "The New Jim Crow" by: Michelle Alexander -PBS Frontline "Interrupted"

Recidivism in Recovery, Things can Change If We Have More Employers Like This
People make mistakes and people can and do change. Yes, that is if they are given the right tools and opportunities, they are able to do so.
I've been covering various aspects involved with why recidivism in recovery may take place. I've talked about self-care, trauma and healing, forgiveness of one's self and others, getting to the root of your issues instead of just looking at the symptoms of, the problem with enabling versus true advocacy and empowerment of a person from victim to victor, but there is also another dynamic involved.

Once a person gets a record and or have served time, it is harder than many people might believe for a person to get back on their feet. Nobody wants to hire them. If some are even lucky to get a job, it's at very minimal hours or very low wages. We've already seen how hard it has been for students graduating from degrees to find employment, let alone someone with a record. Having worked in the field for 18 years, it is heart breaking to see people get clean, work hard to try and turn their lives around, and yet continue to get rejected for employment and housing because of their past mistakes. It makes it hard for professionals to wonder if we can really truly offer them any hope at times. No wonder people become discouraged, depressed, and then end up back in their addictions and other means of survival.

Many individuals start out in neighborhoods that are not afforded the same tax bracket and its benefits as you find in the majority of white neighborhoods. What does this mean? That with inequity of funds, there is inequity in a level playing field for opportunities in education. The cycle continues to repeat itself as each new person is born into this same system.
Just as a reminder, addictions does not discriminate. There are people with formal education, positions, wealth, etc. that have also been in the grips of addiction. Many times mental health issues accompany this. People are sick, they are hurting and nobody sets out to make it their goal to become alcoholic or other drug addicted. Shame, stigma, and categorizing addictions as a criminal issue rather than a health issue compounds this problem even more.

Family and Stages of Change (Guest Post)
One of the frustrating things about addiction for family members, friends, and the person suffering from the addiction is the chronicity of addiction and relapse. Sometimes the family has the expectation that the individual will enter treatment complete treatment and than everything will return to normal. The person will be “CURED”. It is more helpful to see recovery as a continuum that can begin long before the person discontinues there use and extends long after their last use. A person may be questioning their use for years prior to attempting to quit or have several attempts at trying to control the use.
This is the beginning of the recovery process and proper interventions at these moments of ambivalence can help move the person toward abstinence. This is the reason family involvement can be so important. The family is in a unique position to help the addicted person explore their ambivalence revolving around use, hold the person accountable for the impacts on the family, and help support the person in there efforts to discontinue. It can be helpful if the family understands the change process. There are stages to change and each stage has been identified by DiClemente.
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• Pre-contemplation: This is where a person is not thinking of change or does not feel they could successfully make the change.
• Contemplation: It is in this stage that people start to question their use. They start to recognize that there use has become problematic at times. There may be a great deal of ambivalence at this stage
• Preparation: At this stage they will start to think on how they may go about making the change. In the persons mind the reasons for change start to outweigh the reasons to continue the behavior. Although the reasons to discontinue the behavior may have been easily apparent to the family it may not be so apparent to the addict. Their whole life may have centered around their use and there may continue to be ambivalence..
• Action: They start to implement change plans. The family can be very helpful in this stage as long as they set good boundaries. It may be helpful to develop a plan with the addict on what ways the family is willing to help and things they are unwilling to do. An example: A spouse may offer to be available to the spouse in the middle of the night if they need to process a using dream or they may say I have to work in the mornings and I need my sleep so do not wake for that call your sponsor.
• Maintenance: At this stage people have succeeded in making the change and are in the pattern of maintaining the change. In this stage it is good to have contingency management strategies in place. These are plans on how to handle situations that maybe problematic such as an upcoming family event where there may be a great deal of drinking. Be proactive.

This change process can swing like a pendulum with the person swinging back and forth between stages. This can be difficult on the family, but with the help of counseling and a supportive network of family and friends the pendulum will stay in the next stage a little longer on every swing until they stay in the maintenance stage of recovery.
Relapse or a return to old behavior can happen at any of these stages and should be expected and planned for. Relapse does not mean failure it should be considered a part of the process and can be viewed as a teachable moment in the person’s recovery.

Disclaimer: If you are needing more extensive assistance or counseling, we can supply you with a list of available agencies to assist you. No blogs are ever meant to substitute a person seeking help through professional counseling.

Silencing Professionals (Guest Post)
Recently, it has been brought to my attention that there is a new trend being taught in some of our college Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) programs for students studying to become Substance Abuse Counselors. Apparently this trend is based on the theory that personal AODA self- disclosure by a counselor is not the right thing to do when counseling an AODA client. The belief is that a counselor should keep the fact that he or she has had an AODA issue confidential.
After speaking to several AODA students about this, it is my understanding that the reasoning behind this is that self disclosure by a counselor creates an unfair and uneven playing field for other counselors who have not gone through an AODA issue themselves. A client may ask a counselor a question like, “How would you know what it is like for me. Have you ever had this problem?” The thought has been that this would automatically put the AODA counselor with no personal past AODA experience at a disadvantage compared to counselors that have lived through the experience.

Is this true? After sixteen years of working in the AODA field and as a person who once suffered with the horrible effects of chemical abuse and dependency, there is no doubt in my mind, that by being able to say to a client, ” Yes, I also have had this problem”, automatically changes the dynamics and usually gives me an open door for more conversation. In fact the Manual for Drug and Alcohol Credentialing Examinations (6th edition) also points to this being the case. It sates in several areas, the effectiveness of using self disclosure. Under “The Recovering Addict as a Counselor” (p.547), the manual states that: “As counselors, such individuals offer the advantage of serving as role models for their clients. These counselors can offer hope to their clients that a life free from substance use is not only possible but can be rich and fulfilling as well”. Page 247 states that self-disclosure can enable the counseling relationship to move to a deeper level and can build trust. It goes on to say that self-disclosure invites openness without shifting the focus away from the client (p.191), and that when leading groups a counseling leadership style may be effective by sharing a little or a lot of self-disclosure as long as he or she stays within the leadership role (p.300).
In all fairness to counselors who have not had an AODA issue, being unprepared when confronted by a question such as, “How would you know what it’s like to be me”, could be a crushing blow, especially when one who has given so much time and effort to becoming a professional AODA counselor. So what do we do? Is the answer to tell counselors with personal AODA experience to keep it confidential taking away the appropriate self disclosure which has been proven to be so effective? Of course not! Do we take away what the Manual for Drug and Alcohol Credentialing states to be a powerful tool Or do we take another approach?

Instead of taking away the proven effectiveness of sharing experience and insight that has been paid for through life’s hard learned lessons by the now healthy counselor coming from an AODA background, we should instead be teaching the counselors who have not gone through it, how to respond to questions like the example above.
One way would be to have the non- AODA experienced counselors practice their right to not disclose if they had a past AODA problem or not. This could be done very easily by simply saying something such as: I’m sorry, I would rather not talk about my personal past. Right now we need to look at working toward what will help your situation. This would achieve getting the focus immediately back on the client while at the same time stopping any questioning of the counselor’s personal life or competencies. This is just one example of an unlimited number of ways to deal with this issue without taking away from anyone. This would be a much more effective approach, rather than pushing the elimination of the right of counselors who have had AODA issues to practice effective appropriate self-disclosure.

The Manual for Drug and Alcohol Credentialing Examinations defines self-disclosure as: The counselor’s sharing of his/her personal feelings, attitudes, opinions, and experiences for the benefit of the client.(p.68). The key words here are,” for the benefit of the client”. We need to remember that our number one priority should always be what benefits the client, and therefore we should not be taking away one of the most powerful things a counselor can have, the ability to connect with people.
It pains me to see that our focus can so quickly be shifted from using a tool such as self-disclosure that can literally help save lives to, worrying about uneven playing fields for professionals when all we need to do is use a little bit of thoughtful wisdom on how to respond to certain situations.

To the counselors who have been fortunate enough not to have gone through a chemical abuse or dependency issue and have the passion to help people, don’t think that you can’t be just as effective as others. By using your compassion, your empathy, your education, and your own life experiences you can be just as effective. I have seen it done. I have had the opportunity to witness clients thanking counselors with no past AODA issues for being the main reason that they have been able to stay clean and sober.
To those counselors with AODA personal experience, don’t let your voices be silenced by those pushing the confidentiality theory. It’s not necessary. If you chose to self disclose, do so.
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Don’t be silenced.
Keep your voice.
You have earned it!

Drawing Boundaries and Finding Myself Again-One woman shares her lessons on Co-dependency
I was asked to write this blog and I thought awhile as to what I would write about. I decided the best idea is to write about what you know. I know the most about Codependency as I started my journey in recovery with addressing Codependency.
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I was married to a man who drank a lot. As my family didn’t drink, I didn’t know what was normal. At first the drinking was fun but after a while I realized I didn’t like it because I started to worry about how the night was going to end up. Would this be the night he drank too much? I tried to ignore the problem, deny it, and avoid talking about it. It didn’t go away. So I tried to find other more practical ways to handle it. I was his wife and believed it was up to me to do something about it.

My focus became how to try to control it and or him. I tried to cut him off when I thought he had enough. I tried getting mad or yelling at him. I tried pouring some of it down the drain. I tried to be a good wife so he wouldn’t have a reason to drink. The more I tried to control it and the worse our relationship became. He could always find a way to drink. We would fight about it from time to time. It didn’t stop. I worried about what others thought of the situation, him, and me. I felt inadequate, I didn’t know what to do but I was afraid to quit trying because what would happen if I wasn’t there to control it?

I did finally go for some counseling and learned that I was codependent and needed some help for myself and not just the person with the alcoholism in my life. I discovered I wasn’t crazy or a bad person. I was not responsible for his drinking problem. It wasn’t my place to be embarrassed by his drinking or try to control him or his drinking. I learned I was powerless to control someone else’s behavior and especially someone’s addiction to alcohol. I realized I spent too much time focusing on him and what he was doing or not doing. I wasn’t very happy with my life. I was scared and angry a lot.

​Two area women Patty Katz and Louise Wedge had a dream of giving back to inspire hope and change after one man helped them and countless others to enter the world of recovery. Katz said it was difficult getting off of alcohol and other drugs on her own.  On several occasions her voice choked when recalling the transition in her life and her gratitude for the help she received. 

" I was never successful in getting clean. The man saved my life," Katz said.

Katz and Wedge started "Hands Across the Bridge" in 2001.

​On Sept. 4 around 11 a.m. over 2000 people from WA and OR took their message of hope in a "Hands Across the Bridge" ceremony for national  Alcohol and other Drug Addiction Recovery Month.  Earlier events occurred with various speakers in Portland and Vancouver. Honorable Gregory Gonzales, (Therapeutic Treatment Court) and a Clark County Councilor spoke at Vancouver's event in Esther Short park.

A Native American Drum procession led participants from both sides to the middle of the I-5 bridge to recite a recovery serenity prayer initiated by a tugboat's signal. A dove was released in remembrance of the lives lost from addiction and one for the hope of recovery.

"We have so much we hear that's bad. We always learn of somebody overdosing, robbing a bank, doing this...doing that...but I want people to come out and see the good news. Recovery is real, recovery is possible, recovery rocks," Katz said.

Annually throughout September events take place across the U.S. to celebrate people in recovery and recognize those who help make their recovery possible. Recovery is defined as a process of change through which people improve their health, wellness, and quality of life from the life threatening effects of alcohol and other drug abuse.

​This year's Recovery Month theme is strengthening families and communities. Jeri Stanley, Secretary of SW Washington Recovery Coalition, highlights the family aspect. "To me it's really important that family have a place that they can come and get information and resources so they have a place they can go for clarity and understanding," said Stanley. "To feel safe and to be able to explain how they feel and it's not to the neighbor, but it's to somebody who has experienced this as a family member."

​Annually a recovery event called Oxfest follows the bridge ceremony at Esther Short park which includes  music, food, information tables, and activities for children. It is hosted by Oxford Homes Inc., a self-run, self-supported recovery house program for individuals recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction.

It was the first time all of them volunteered for the event. They said they felt it was important to give back. 
 
Thoughts on the HATB Ceremony 
"Today is a big day in recovery for us. We're all in a recovery house. We all pretty much coach each other. Keep each other in line. We lost out on a lot of things being in the drug scene and now that we are in recovery we are seeing the bright side of life and what life has to give us. It makes me feel I accomplished something and my life keeps going forward." (Far L)

Susan Page- mother lost her son Ryan to addiction. (L- sister of Ryan)
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Reflecting on her son
"He was kind. He was respectful. He helped a lot of people, but he couldn't help himself. I didn't how many friends he had until after he passed away. His memorial service we had to get a bigger spot because they were so many people...alot from recovery. Everybody loved him."

Thoughts on the event
"I just wish we would have started coming to events sooner instead of after my son passed. So we come to every event we can to support everybody else and to see if we can save somebody from taking the same road he did. This event gives me hope for other people that they know they can recover. There is so much support around. I love it. I won't miss another one."

Advice to other parents
"Write letters, go visit often, make them part of your world. You get angry, but do what you can and be supportive, but don't be an enabler. With recovery, do whatever you can to be a part of it so they know you are there for them. I think people recover more often than not when they have that kind of support."

"Self care- that's harder. You have to have self-care."
Susan stressed going to support groups and being a part of the family program of treatment. 

For more resources or to read other stories of hope
handsacrossthebridge.org
SW Washington Recovery Coalition
Washington Recovery Alliance
Oxfest
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Samhsa)- learn what's going on in your state
​Thuy Smith Journal (For more stories)
Thuy Smith Outreach International (Main Website)

Other related videos (scroll down on link's page)
Blog- Recidivism in Recovery, Our emotions are not our enemy, but our belief systems may be

President of Eau Claire City Council worked with Thuy to adopt and present a local
addictions and mental health recovery proclamation. Ms. Keri Kincaid is a true
​ example of what a public servant should be like, working on everyone's behalf. 

​​Artist- Zechariah, Mario's son, Mario Street, and Thuy Smith
*Sample from a couple of tracks at end of video
Watch Mario's latest video. 
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mariostreet
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/mariostreet  
​Website:mariostreet.com