People are worried about their well-being. People are losing their jobs. People aren’t able to attend school. People aren’t able to see their friends and family. People are dying. People in recovery are still dying…
We are facing a global pandemic that many people alive today have not experienced before. This has unseen consequences that will resonate around the world for many years to come. Economic, financial, and societal impacts that seem almost unfathomable. Right now, it’s having an immediate impact on people with a substance use disorder and people in recovery. We are isolated in our homes, many people experiencing this life changing event alone. Isolation is not good for us people in recovery. Social connection and fellowship, which we rely so heavily upon to sustain our recovery has been halted. While we are very blessed to be in the age of technology, it doesn’t quite hit home like sitting next to another person in recovery and sharing about our experiences. The opposite of addiction is connection, and that’s something a lot of people in recovery are missing out on.
We are in the midst of an opioid epidemic in the middle of a global health crisis. Fear, isolation, change, and uncertainty are compounding on people, especially those who are struggling. Treatment services are being scaled back across the country in order to protect people from COVID-19. I get that, and I want people to be safe. But I also think about the person who is struggling by themselves tonight. The person who is scared of the unknown brought about by these unstable times and may slip back into old coping mechanisms. The person who just got their stimulus check in the mail and has been silently struggling in their home. It’s a tough time, and I don’t want to feel defeated.
Tomorrow is a new day, and I know there is hope because recovery exists. Recovery happens. Recovery is possible. I hope we are able to adapt and overcome these new challenges and come out more resilient than ever before. I’m not sure what tomorrow brings, but I know we will find a way as such is human nature. People in recovery are resilient. People in recovery are strong. People in recovery are determined, courageous, and hopeful. Tomorrow is a new day, and I know there is hope because I’m in recovery.
