More help is on the way!

SMART RECOVERY

I am so pleased to tell you that we are almost finished of the SMART Recovery training. What a great program it is!  What impresses me most is that anyone could benefit from the tools and techniques used in the meetings.

SMART Recovery focuses on four points:

1.     Building and maintaining motivation.

2.     Coping with urges.

3.     Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

4.     Living a balanced life.

Here is a short video about SMART RECOVERY:   

 

Please visit the SMART Recovery website to learn more. 

Molly Nielson, Natasha Flood, Jackie Kane and I are really looking forward to getting the meetings started.  The good folks at the Reach Foundation in Stratford are providing us with the space to hold our meetings. We are hoping to start meetings in April. Stay tuned. The start date will be posted on this blog when we have it set.

NOTE: Anyone can take the training and bring a SMART Recovery meeting to their community. If you are interested, please let me know. I’m happy to provide some guidance on how to get started.

FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Roni Wakelin Power and I are starting a Family Support Group meeting, hopefully in April. The Reach Foundation will be providing the space to hold these meetings as well.  The start date will be posted on this blog when we have it established.   

The family support group is for individuals affected by someone else’s addiction. One of the most empowering and healing things you can do for yourself is to talk to others who truly understand what you are going through. You will meet people who are at various stages of acceptance and understanding. Some have even found peace amidst all the chaos of addiction. You don’t have to go through it alone.  Our meetings are anonymous (you don’t have to tell us your name unless you want to!) and what is discussed is confidential.

NOTE: Anyone can start a family support meeting in their own community. If you are interested, please let me know. I’m happy to provide some guidance on how to get started.

I can be reached at behindtheaddiction@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Rose

Science is on our side

I was offering some moral support to a mother yesterday who had a news crew coming over to interview her about the addiction epidemic in her community. One of the things that I said to reassure her is “just remember, you have the science on your side.”

I woke up this morning thinking about that statement. In many ways, knowing that I have the science on my side is what empowers me to keep up the fight to educate, prevent, raise awareness and build compassion around addiction and mental health issues.  My thoughts are not my opinions or beliefs. They are based on the findings of the world’s leading experts in the field. That’s empowering.    

R. Gil Kerlikowske, a USA drug policy leader, talked about this very thing during a talk he gave in 2012:

“We know from the research that is conducted by some of the world’s leading neuroscientists that drug addiction is not a moral failing on the part of the individual. It is a chronic disease of the brain and it can be treated. This isn’t my opinion and it is not a political statement. It is not really open to debate because the evidence is clear and it is unequivocal. It is a fact borne out by decades of study and research and it is a fact that neither government nor the public can ignore.” 

Of course, public perception is something very different, which is why the disease of addiction is highly stigmatized and getting help is not easy. Public perception drives public policy. We have a long way to go to educate, prevent, raise awareness and build compassion in our communities. I am one voice. There are many others as well who are contributing in their own way. I have no doubt that our work is opening the minds and hearts of our fellow citizens and politicians who have the power to address the issue and improve the lives of Islanders. Let’s keep talking!

If you would like to further your understanding of addiction, here are some great resources to check out:

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): Addiction

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Principles of Effective Treatment  

Canadian Medical Association Journal: Addiction is a Disease: We Must Change Our Attitudes Toward Addicts  

Renegade Mothering: We Don’t Start With Needles in Our Arms  *

Addiction medications are also highly stigmatized, even though they are some of the most effective treatments, especially when combined with good rehab programs. Much of the negativity has to do with the fact that we only hear about the bad stuff (people selling their medication, overdoses, etc.).  We might be reluctant to support treatment for any disease if we only ever heard about the bad things and never the good. For example, if all we ever heard about cancer treatment is that patients get really sick, lose their hair, and then die of the disease, would we be supportive of the treatment being offered? Probably not. Thankfully, we hear about many success stories so we are supportive of the treatments being offered.

There are success stories with addiction medications as well but those who have success move on and don’t talk about it because of the stigmas attached to both the medication and the disease of addiction. They should be proud of how far they’ve come, but we rob them of that with our judgements. We should celebrate recovery regardless of how one has found it. There is no room for beliefs in the treatment of disease!

CAMH: Methadone Myths and Realities   

While I hope that everyone reads the information provided above, it is especially important for families going through it. The more you know, the better off you'll be in dealing with the disease. Knowledge is power.

Sincerely,

Rose

*While Renegade Mothering is not a professional source of information, the author does an amazing job of explaining the disease in ways that people can understand. It is based on her personal experience with alcoholism.

Wall of Fame - celebrating our youth

It warms my heart when I hear of young people raising awareness about mental health, addiction and/or bullying. These are important issues that many of us have been impacted by, but we sometimes feel at a loss of what to do about them.

I am happy to tell you that there are many young people who have stepped up to make a difference. They work hard to raise awareness, stop the stigma, and make their schools and/or communities healthy and supportive places for all. These youth are leaders with compassion (what a great combination). I would like to recognize their efforts on this Wall of Fame.

To get this Wall of Fame started, I’d like to introduce you to our first group of leaders. They are the Stop the Stigma committee at Colonel Gray High School. I am proud to say that our daughter and four of her basketball teammates (who we think the world of) are members along with some other great students at the school.

Left to right: Victoria Barbour, Kendra Craswell, Isaiah Hood, Alex MacBain, Zach Geldart, Taylor Meek, Patty Nino-Esparza, Bailey Andrews. Missing: Ashley McGuigan and Julie McCabe

The Stop the Stigma committee raises awareness on mental health issues. To reach their goals, the students meet weekly, organize various activities, and raise money for the Kids Help Phone, among other things.    

A big thank you to these Colonel Gray students for making a difference.

Please help to grow this Wall of Fame in recognition of Island youth. If you are raising awareness in the area of mental health, addiction and/or bullying, and would like to be featured here, please send your photo and a short description of what you (or your group) are doing to behindtheaddiction@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Rose

The Power of a Secret

This is a story that I submitted to CBC’s Canada Writes defining moments. I thought I would share it here as well......

I once had a secret that was so shameful it almost destroyed my health trying to hide it.

I was always on guard, protecting the secret that would surely hurt my family if it saw the light of day. Ever alert, I changed the subject when a conversation got a little too close for comfort. I had ready-made answers in case I was caught off guard with a question. I tried to avoid socializing whenever possible.

There’s a saying that you’re only as sick as your secrets. Mine led me into a bout of depression, gave me high blood pressure, and caused chest pains that sent me to the emergency room.

My secret was changing me. The positive person that I once was had become a hopeless shell of my former self.

Needing to get better, I took a trip. In a new city, in a room full of strangers, I shared my secret. For the first time, I said out loud, “My name is Rose and I am the mother of an addict.”

The sobs came fast and furious until I could no longer speak. With gentle encouragement, I finished my story. Heading home, I felt freer than I had in a long time.  I continued going to support groups.

Over time, I became empowered. I wanted to use my story to help others, but I was gripped by a lifelong fear of public speaking and what others would think of my family if they knew the truth.

I decided that I was just going to do it because no amount of stigma would ever hurt as much as watching my son slowly kill himself with his addiction, knowing that I was powerless.

I was invited to speak to a sociology class at UPEI. I was terrified! I was prepared for the fact that I might pass out in front of the class or not be able to speak at all because of the fear that I had.

                                                   

Before I went up to the front of the class, I said a little prayer, “Dear God, please let the words that I want to say, and the words that they need to hear, be the words that come out of my mouth.”

I stood at the podium. I looked into the eyes of the students. I felt a calm come over me like I had never experienced before. I was not nervous at all. I knew with every ounce of my being that this was what I was meant to be doing. That defining moment changed my life.

Since then, I’ve spoken publicly many times about our son’s addiction, including interviews with CBC. I also started a blog and write letters to the editor, among other things.

My shameful secret has been replaced by a desire to make a difference for Islanders battling addiction and their families. Through this journey, I have found peace; my son has found recovery; and our family enjoys life again, one day at a time.