Navigating Thanksgiving in Isolation

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and it looks like it could be a more challenging holiday than usual for people in recovery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Americans avoid flying. California’s governor has issued a temporary curfew that stops gatherings and non-essential work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. throughout most of the state. 

 

If you have been following the news, then you know that the spread of coronavirus is rampant right now. Nearly 2,000 Americans died from COVID-19 yesterday and there were close to 200,000 new cases. The risks of contracting the virus are extremely high right now, which means Thanksgiving gatherings could be dangerous. 

 

Holidays are always trying times for people in recovery. Having to spend time around others who are drinking can be extremely difficult, especially in early recovery. What’s more, many people new to working a program are estranged from their families. Normally, such individuals would get together with other people in recovery to keep their recovery intact. 

 

This year, it may not be possible for people in recovery to join forces in-person to navigate Thanksgiving. Moreover, isolation isn’t good for one’s recovery. Members of the fellowship will have to be particularly vigilant next Thursday. 

 

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving in Recovery

 

If you are unable to get together with family or members of a support group next week, do not be discouraged. You may feel like you are alone, but millions of other people in recovery are facing the same obstacle. 

 

Computers and smartphones will be vital tools in the coming days. Utilize video conferencing platforms to connect with others in recovery. You can find thousands of meetings each day online. If you are alone this Thanksgiving, then attend several meetings from your home. Share about your struggles or what you are grateful for today, thanks to recovery. 

 

Prayer and meditation will be vital as well; you may need to utilize such practices many times next Thursday. You can also benefit from journaling and writing gratitude lists to clear your mind and ground yourself. Thinking about what you are grateful for is highly beneficial. 

 

Talk to your support network, maybe there are virtual Thanksgiving events you can attend. Just because you are not with others doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the holiday. It’s important to remember to give thanks; that’s what Thanksgiving is all about. Men and women in recovery have so much to be thankful for today. Every day clean and sober is a blessing. 

 

Pick up the phone if you find yourself wanting to drink or drug and connect with your support network. You are not alone, and you have the power to abstain during this likely challenging holiday. Reaching out for support will help you prevent relapse and protect your progress. 

 

Faith-Based Addiction Treatment

 

2020 has been an arduous year and many people have turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. However, there is another way. Please contact Celebrate Hope if you are struggling with addiction. We are available around the clock to answer any questions you may have. Our team relies on evidence-based therapies along with the teachings of Jesus Christ to help men and women achieve long-term recovery.

Honing Life Skills in Recovery

Addiction recovery teaches people how to deal effectively with life on life’s terms. Even though a person has stopped drinking or drugging, they are still going to struggle with the demands and challenges of life. Since stress is one of the leading causes of relapse, it’s prudent to discuss some ways to keep it at bay. There are many things you can do to make navigating life in recovery less challenging.

Most people, it’s fair to say, lack specific life skills when they get to addiction treatment. Alcohol and substance use disorders take precedent over practically all else. It takes an enormous amount of effort to ensure one has their drink or drug of choice, day in and day out. Few people can manage other important tasks when in the grips of the disease. This is especially true for those who began using at a young age.

Neglecting nutrition, school, work, and bills go hand in hand with mental illness. Being responsible and accountable is not often said about those living with a use disorder. Neglecting aspects of one’s life becomes a vicious cycle. Failing to accomplish everyday tasks causes stress in a person’s life; addicts and alcoholics will use drugs and alcohol to cope with that stress.

In recovery, people learn that mitigating stress is vital. Men and women are taught that fostering life skills is a must, in order to maintain balance. Addiction thrives in extremes; if life becomes chaotic, the risk of relapse increases significantly. To avoid doing things that can jeopardize progress, men and women need to discover ways to keep their lives in order.

Life Skills for Addiction Recovery

There are several types of life skills, such as managing finances and living within your means. Other fundamental skills in life include practicing self-care (i.e., eating right and exercising), time management, and keeping an organized living space. Naturally, we could dedicate separate posts to each of the above skill sets. Today’s post will focus on the need for emphasizing the importance of organization.

Early recovery is a fragile time for individuals for several reasons. Sobriety is not a natural state for people with a history of addiction, nor is doing something every day to prevent a return to drugs and alcohol. Years and years of substance use changes how people think and process information. Such men and women have trouble dealing with anything that is outside their control. As such, it is vital to do things that establish and support equilibrium.

Organization is central to preventing outside variables from causing stress. Keeping a tidy household is critical since we spend most of our time in the place we reside. Knowing where essential belongings are will help you avoid getting upset when something can’t be found.

Doing laundry each week will ensure you have clean clothes for work and social engagements. Dedicating small chunks of time throughout the week to domestic chores will help you stay organized and prepared for whatever comes up. Moreover, having a clean living space can also improve how you feel.

Keeping an orderly domicile is a skill that dovetails nicely with financial management. Many people are inclined to let their mail pile up; they sometimes open envelopes weeks after receipt. Making a point of sorting your mail will contribute to tidiness and also help you stay on top of your bills. When bills are paid on time, it alleviates stress.

Honing your life skills takes practice, but it’s doable for anyone clean and sober. You might try dedicating certain days of the week for a particular task (i.e., dusting on Monday, laundry on Wednesday, and bills on Friday). It will make things more manageable.

Learning Life Skills in Christian Rehab

At Celebrate Hope, we believe that clients who adopt new routines are less likely to fall back on old behaviors. We work with clients to hone their life skills. Please contact us today to learn how our Christian drug and alcohol rehab center can help you overcome the emotional and physical bondage of addiction.

Addiction Recovery Gives People Voices

People in addiction recovery have a voice; for some people working a program, this is the first time in their life they have felt able to speak their truth. Men and women who battle addiction learn that they must hide and disguise their behaviors. The societal stigma of addiction creates a culture of silence. Being unable to open up about one’s issues perpetuates the cycle of disease.

Addicts and alcoholics are prone to feel as though they are broken souls. They convince themselves that they are responsible for their affliction. The guilt and shame that accompany mental illness prevent millions of people from reaching out for help. Sometimes, decades will pass before a person summons the courage to reach out for support.

While nobody is to blame for the development of chemical dependency, each person has some say in the choices they make from one day to the next. Naturally, becoming hooked on a substance often means risking physical withdrawal symptoms, if one decides not to use. Such symptoms can quickly precipitate a relapse before recovery can take hold — people who choose to embrace recovery benefit immensely from seeking professional assistance.

Once in treatment, men and women discover that they no longer need to let shame drive their actions. Such people realize that they have a voice and using it can help them and others manage their disease without resorting to drug and alcohol use. Each day, people around the world come together in meeting rooms to share their experience, strength, and hope. Individuals in recovery share openly and honestly about their past and current struggles.

Some will even take the message of healing outside the realm of anonymity and inspire others who are caught in the cycle of addiction.

 

The Voice of Recovery

Desiree-Anne Martin is an author who is clean and sober now for 14 years. Before heroin sunk its teeth in Martin, she was an aspiring writer; however, she would never dare write about her demons, let alone an addiction. Today, Desiree-Anne has a different perspective on the subject, having published an autobiography recently, EastCoastRadio reports. We Don’t Talk About It. Ever. makes clear that no one facing addiction or in recovery is alone regarding their fears about being open.

“I hope that the book has become more than just an outlet for me, but a beacon of hope for others,” she explains. Martin adds that “In so many communities, there’s this rule of sweeping things under the carpet and not talking about what’s going on.” 

“Speaking your truth takes courage but it brings an unbelievable sense of freedom,” she says. “Being honest with ourselves and others could be the secret to saving lives.”

 

California Faith-based Addiction Treatment

People who struggle with addiction or dual diagnosis have an opportunity to find recovery when they reach out for help. Asking for assistance is never simple, but understand the courage to do so is a life-saving decision. Please contact Celebrate Hope to learn more about our faith-based addiction treatment program.  

We don’t just treat the symptoms of chemical dependency; we focus on transforming the mind, body, and spirit.

Returning to Recovery After Relapse

Each year around this time many addicts and alcoholics in recovery face an unfortunate reality. Stemming from stress, emotional upheaval, or any one of myriad reasons some men and women experience a relapse. While such events are undesirable, they do not spell the end of a person’s recovery.

People living with the disease of addiction are contending with an incurable mental illness. With that in mind, it is important to remember that active addiction recurrence is always a possibility; this is especially true if a person lets up on their program of recovery. What’s more, people who slip and relapse are prone to hiding a relapse from their peers owing to the shame and stigma that accompanies the disease. There is perhaps no other malady that humans suffer from that victims feel guilty about when relapse happens.

Everyone desires continued progress in recovery, but things happen, poor decisions are made that result in return to using drugs or alcohol. The problem of relapse is compounded by the fact that people feel they must hide such events from their support network. Some people will continue going to meetings and appear to be doing the work, only to go home and use once more. In that way, a slip can quickly morph into a full-blown relapse and thus, active addiction.

Given the deadly nature of the disease, it is vital that people who relapse come forward and share the news of their relapse. The sooner an admission takes place, the faster the process of healing can begin.

 

Don’t Let Guilt and Shame Stand In The Way of Recovery

The only person who gets hurt by omitting the occurrence of relapse is the person who relapsed. Some people think that they are fooling their peers, but they are only fooling themselves about the stakes of their disease. The longer a return to recovery is put off, the worse life becomes and the risk to one’s health is more significant.

If you relapsed, Celebrate Hope understands. We also are hopeful that you have already discussed what happened with your support network and the ball of recovery is rolling anew. If that is not the case, we strongly implore you to disregard the guilt and shame you might be feeling and act in your best interest. The members of your support group will understand, many of whom are probably no stranger to relapse.

A relapse can either be a tragedy or salient moment in recovery; it can be an opportunity to come back from an upset and invest oneself with more dedication to sobriety than ever before. Right now, there exist people with decades of clean and sober time who have a relapse in their recovery history. We would ask that you consider that before deciding to continue on the path you are on; because such individuals are proof that relapse does not have to be the end of the story but rather the beginning of something better.

Greater Assistance After A Relapse

Following a relapse, some individuals find that they need more than meetings to get back on track. They decide that to get back on track more structure is required. It is not uncommon for men and women to return to addiction treatment following a relapse, especially when such incidents result in a return to active daily drug or alcohol use. If you feel that you require professional assistance, then we invite you to reach out to Celebrate Hope to discuss treatment options.  

All of us at Celebrate Hope wish each person in recovery a safe and sober New Year! We hope everyone has a productive 2019 in recovery.

Gratitude: The Heart of Recovery

Many of our readers are familiar with the names David and Nic Sheff. Perhaps you have read the bestselling books about addiction and recovery from the father and son authors. For those of you who haven’t had an opportunity to immerse yourselves in their writing, please consider doing so at your earliest convenience. People recovering from mental illness and their families will discover a lot of useful information packed inside the Sheffs' books; titles which include:

• "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction" by David Sheff
• "Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines" by Nic Sheff
• "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy" by David Sheff
• "We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction" by Nic Sheff

The two writers have more books in their respective catalogs, but the titles above are an excellent place to commence reading. While the primary focus of the above reads is Nic’s addiction and recovery, there is much packed inside that the families of alcoholics and addicts can find useful for their lives. Alcohol and substance use disorder, after all, is a family disease; the condition does not discriminate, and without treatment, the outcomes are never optimistic.

 

The Heart of Recovery

It’s likely that you have seen the title, "Beautiful Boy" in the headlines of late due to a recent movie release. David Sheff’s memoir and Nic’s memoir were used as source material for the film. Those interested in seeing the movie would do well to read their publications first, but doing so is not a requirement for following along.

While we do not want to include spoilers in this article, we thought we'd share a few kernels from a recent interview Nic gave to The Fix. As a matter of fact, since finding sobriety Nic has written many articles for the online addiction and recovery news publication. Sheff was asked if gratitude is the very heart of his recovery? His response is inspiring:

 “Every day, gratitude is such an essential part of my existence. Battling this disease, I have gone through such hell that coming out the other side is something I need to acknowledge on a daily basis. I try to be grateful and to express my gratitude. The amazing thing about being sober is how you learn to appreciate and love the simple moments of life. I am so grateful to be able to go out on a walk with my dogs or go out to dinner with my wife. The little things are so sweet like just watching a movie. Gratitude is a gift of sobriety that I keep close to me.” 

Please take a moment to watch a short trailer:

If you are having trouble watching, please click here.

The Miracle of Recovery

Healing is possible for all who ask for help and are willing to take steps toward a better future. At Celebrate Hope, we can help you put an end to the cycle of addiction and bring about lasting changes. Please contact us today to learn more about our faith-based addiction treatment program. Help is available. Call Today! (800) 708-3173.

Many Roads to Success in Recovery

Addiction is a baffling disease that steals much from its victims. If that were not bad enough, the conditions take a heavy toll on those whose loved one struggles while caught in a seemingly endless cycle of mental hardship. Few health disorders are as frustrating as alcohol and substance use disorders, mainly because friends and family find themselves powerless in helping those suffering. Even when you think you’re doing all the right things, being careful not to enable destructive behaviors and encourage changes made for the better, trouble can arise.

Things don’t always go the way you’d hope in the realm of alcohol and substance use disorder. Many parents know first-hand the feelings that come upon learning of a son or daughter's relapse. A return to drugs and alcohol is a painful occurrence for all concerned parties, especially when it happens after your child completes a treatment program. You did all the right things, and yet, the disease becomes active again. While it may seem logical to give up all hope that your adult child will find recovery, please resist the urge; relapse need not become the end of the story, countless people with long-term recovery share the common bond of a relapse in early recovery.

When all seems dark, hope is the flame that will help you guide your loved one out of the shadows and into the light of the spirit. Please don’t resign to thinking that treatment doesn’t work, and lasting recovery is a fiction; the former is an effective means of breaking the cycle and acquiring the tools for sustained progress, the latter is a reality and working a program allows people to lead a fulfilling life.

 

There Are Many Roads to Success in Recovery

Treatment and working a program works provided however that one is eternally vigilant in keeping the disease in remission. Problems arise when an individual becomes complacent, which is often the result of downplaying the importance of spiritual connection and fellowship. There is a salient acronym worth remembering, S.L.I.P. or Sobriety Lost Its Priority. People with a little bit of recovery time can delude themselves into thinking that life is good now, and they puzzle over why they need to “keep coming back.”

Telling yourself not to drink or drug, no matter what is helpful and all; although, it’s hardly a prophylactic for the cunning nature of one’s mental illness, alone. It’s amazing how effortlessly, and quickly a person can forget how bad it was before treatment, prior to learning that life is less complicated when you follow some simple suggestions. Individuals must never relent in recovery or lose sight of the fact that we are a work in progress; in more cliché terms, it’s the journey, not the destination that’s vital. Never will a day come when people wake up and think, ‘oh good, I’m recovered now.’ Unfortunately, the disease has a way of encouraging that line of thinking; seeds of doubt in the program’s value can quickly sprout into a relapse.

People relapse for different reasons; sometimes, chronic relapse ensues before finally grasping what is needed to stick with the program. At times, a regression is a merely a slip; it’s unfortunate, but individuals manage to get back up and address where they went off course. As long as addicts and alcoholics keep working at it, and families remain supportive even when it’s hard—such people will find the strength to carry on in recovery. There isn’t one path to lasting improvement, but there are things people can do and approaches they can take after a relapse that makes it harder to achieve one’s goals, i.e., shame, guilt, and unwarranted tough-love posturing.

 

Supporting Those Who Relapse

In meetings of recovery, members understand that relapse happens to even those who appear most diligent. Cunning, baffling, and powerful is the disease we’re contending with, so it’s vital for recovery fellowships to be a counterforce. Anyone who relapses is welcome back, the community’s arms are always open to those who want IT, and even for those who do not. Each person’s path is their own; we are all responsible for our inventory—nobody else's. The fellowship lends a hand whenever and wherever it can, without judgment.

At times, a relapse develops into full-blown active use; in such cases treatment might be in order. Just like a relapse, multiple stays in treatment are a part of many people’s story. It’s not uncommon to miss things the first time in a therapeutic environment. It’s critical, again, to not convince yourself that treatment didn’t work and decide that it doesn’t make sense to try again. Perhaps you might look at it a different way; it’s not that treatment didn’t work and that’s why you had a relapse; instead, the return to drugs and alcohol was the result of discontinuing practicing the things taught to you in rehab.

The next time around you or, in the case of parents, your loved one will investigate everything that precipitated your relapse. With help, people can see better that they lost sight along the way of some of the vital components of recovery. The course is then corrected, and the journey commences. Please contact Celebrate Hope to discuss treatment options.

Recovering from Relapse After SLIP

If you attend meetings of addiction recovery regularly, let’s start by saying that you are on the right track; lasting recovery is ever-dependent on continued maintenance manifested by routine. Prayer, meditation, meetings, sponsorship, step work, and paying it forward are all necessary ingredients for achieving long-term recovery. Those who show up and follow direction, are the people who succeed at keeping their disease at bay. People who are unable to do such things are usually unable to stay the course.

When sobriety loses its priority (SLIP), it’s only a matter of time before one’s addiction resumes control over the dominion of Self. That which protects one from acting upon triggers and cravings loses its strength when one puts other things ahead of recovery. When that happens, relapse is typically a foregone conclusion. Those of you who attend meetings on a daily basis are guaranteed to find yourself in the company of people who at one point let their program take precedence; relapse is a part of many peoples’ recovery story. If you are new to the program, you might consider paying extra-special attention when people talk about a previous relapse; doing so will provide you with valuable insight into your program.

Relapse doesn’t need to be the end of one’s recovery; in fact, it can be the catalyst for an even stronger program moving forward. You’ve probably heard people say that recovery is about progress, not perfection. We, all of us in recovery, are human; each of us errs at times, and unfortunately, sometimes that leads to a relapse. What’s more, the slip-up itself is of little importance, it’s what one does afterward that is most salient.

 

Recovery 2.0

Everyone in recovery knows the dangers that the holiday season poses to one’s program, and each year during this time individuals slip up for any one of many reasons. Whatever the perceived causes of a relapse are, they can all be boiled down to people losing sight of their mission—live life on life’s terms, one day at a time.

Remember, committing oneself to living by the principles of recovery is about more than just not drinking or drugging. Programs of recovery are a model for living an honest, open, and productive life. In a sense, the Steps are a recipe for creating the best version of yourself; a person who people turn towards rather than detract. The road to relapse may start with neglecting meetings and step work, but it ends with one acting in ways reminiscent of their old behaviors. Selfishness, self-centeredness, and dishonesty rise inside people from the depths; the abyss of one’s psyche where the disease of addiction resides. If such traits are not nipped in the bud immediately, they place individuals on a fast track to relapse.

 

Recovering from Relapse

You might be a person who found trouble during the holiday season, and hopefully, you have already committed yourself to practicing the principles of recovery in all your affairs. If not, it’s likely a sign that you are still using and are letting fear or guilt block your way back to the program. Natural feelings to be sure, after all, nobody wants to identify as a newcomer in front of their peers, again. Please do not let that be a cause for staying “out there,” members of the recovery community don’t pass judgment on those who relapse. We open our arms lovingly, and eagerly await your return.

This is a program of fellowship, sometimes our peers fall or lose sight of their recovery. We help each other when things are rough, and encourage each other to continue moving forward. Recovery isn’t a competition, there are no winners or losers, and your popularity is not of any great concern. You are not the first to relapse, and sadly you’ll not be the last; be grateful that your relapse wasn’t fatal, get to a meeting, and grab a 24-hour chip or key chain. Your chair is waiting for you, and your experience will help someone else avoid a similar SLIP, believe it or not.

In some cases, more help is required; if you need extra assistance, please contact Celebrate Drug Rehab. We are standing by 24/7, 365 days a year.

Addiction Recovery: A Commitment for Change

People who attempt addiction recovery without assistance experience disappointment relatively quickly. Alcohol and substance use disorders take tremendous effort to overcome and require a lifelong commitment to going against one’s programming. Simply put, recovering from addiction is not something accomplished on your own. If you have been unable to break the cycle of self-defeating behavior using nothing but will, there is a good reason for the outcome you found. Recovery requires support, a network of lifelines, one can turn to when the going gets tough.

Use disorders develop over time, and the disease is progressive. What starts off as recreation transmogrifies into addiction; once that happens, it’s impossible to reverse the change. You can turn a cucumber into a pickle, you can’t (try as you might) make a pickle a cucumber. Those who try to stop using experience fleeting results. Many people have managed to avoid using for short periods of time, but use recommences sooner rather than later because there isn’t a program to rely upon for coping with all things Life. As a result, people convince themselves that they are doomed to the fate of addiction.

Fortunately, such a conclusion is flawed because it's derived from going about recovery in the same way one went about keeping the flame of their addiction afire—on one’s own. With the help of others and the practice of constant spiritual maintenance, we can and do recover.

 

Seeking Assistance is Required

Individuals battling use disorders know that their condition will likely be their demise if they are unable to stop. Attempts made to free one's self from bondage rarely result in success. Again, we cannot find recovery by the ways and means that we found addiction. A different course of action is required, and one that should begin with alcohol and substance use disorder treatment; to be followed by a continued program of recovery, i.e., 12 Steps or SMART Recovery.

If you are still in the grips, you might ask yourself, ‘why can’t I skip treatment and just join a program? After all, there are meetings in my neighborhood.' Well, you can do that, and that's worked for many people. However, if you are in the late stages of use disorder or dependent on a particular substance — there’s a good chance that the symptoms of acute withdrawal and the people, places and things that trigger you to use will derail your efforts. The pain of withdrawal typically leads to a relapse before one has even contemplated what it means to be powerless over alcohol or drugs.

Medical detox and treatment, on the other hand, are safe environments staffed by people who can help you get through the earliest stages of recovery. This is the time period when the risk of relapse is at its highest. Various medications will dull the symptoms of withdrawal reducing the urge to quit abstinence and return to active use. Treatment centers offer clients 30, 60, or 90-days of trigger-free living. The elements that are known to precipitate substance use don't exist in recovery centers.

 

Treatment: A Commitment that Pays for Itself

Deciding to seek help via treatment should be made as carefully as possible. You are going to be away from your family and be unable to bring home a paycheck (in most cases) for an extended period. When you check into treatment, you are in effect checking out of your previous sphere of existence. It’s a move that gives one the opportunity to shut down, make necessary adjustments conducive to recovery, and reboot. It is a time-consuming and significant commitment.

Some people, have concerns that the financial investment they will have to make by deciding to go to an addiction treatment center may not be worth it—it’s only natural. It is a considerable investment in oneself. Although, the returns will be far higher than the initial investment; especially when you consider the fact that one has no future without recovery. Active addiction always has the same outcome: jails, institutions, and death.

Have you tried to get clean and sober on your own, to no avail? If so, please consider taking a different approach. You will not regret it in the long-run. Please contact Celebrate Drug Rehab today, to begin the life-saving journey of recovery. We have helped a significant number of people achieve what they once thought was impossible—a life without drugs and alcohol.

Raising Awareness About Overdose Deaths

As things stand right now, experts believe that there will be more overdose deaths in 2017 than last year. Before this year comes to an end, over 50,000 more Americans will likely succumb to an overdose. Just to give you an idea of the staggering death toll, 64,000 people died of an overdose in 2016. That is 11, 596 more Americans than the year before (52,404). We probably do not have to mention that the cause of these terrible incidents was opioid narcotics. Such as prescription opioids, heroin and synthetics like fentanyl (100 times stronger than morphine).

With ever-mounting opioid-related morbidity rates, it’s fair to say that this problem demands the attention of every American. And that all of Us, can have a hand in raising awareness about opioid addiction and treatment. Particularly regarding the fact that treatment works and addiction recovery is possible. Believe it or not, many of the afflicted do not think that they can break the cycle of addiction. It is a belief that is often fortified by individuals' attempts to abstain from opioids on their own. That is, not having the aid of medical detox and addiction treatment professionals. Without assistance, relapse is almost always a given. Being more a question of “when,” rather than “if.”

Even if someone manages to get past the acute withdrawal stage on their own, which is possible (believe it or not), the likelihood of achieving long-term recovery is slim. The pull of opioids is extremely strong, and without a Program and a “higher power” to rely on, relapse is usually a foregone conclusion. Which is why lawmakers, health experts and local clergymen to double their efforts to encourage people with opioid use disorders to seek assistance.

 

#2069 Opioid Overdose Deaths

In the wake of last year's overdoses, Rev. Ron Tibbetts of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Wrentham, MA, decided to launch a novel campaign. In 2016, the state of Massachusetts lost 2,069 of its citizens to opioid-related overdoses, The Boston Globe reports. Upon learning of the startling figure, Rev. Tibbetts started the #2069 sign campaign to raise awareness.

Here’s how it works; the church has made simple lawn signs that people in Mass can order to place in their yard. The signs have a white background with “#2069” on them, intended to be stark and bleak, according to the Reverend. Signs can be purchased by making a $12 donation which will go towards an awareness rally the church is holding on Oct. 28, 2017, The Globe reports. Called No Shame 2017. The event is meant to raise opioid awareness and recognize first responders who have been assisting overdose victims. By the end of August, some 277 signs had been ordered from the Trinity Episcopal Church.

“It’s empowered us to become a lot more aware of the world around us,” said Tibbetts.

 

Addiction Recovery

The work of Trinity Episcopal Church is just one example of houses of faith doing their part to address the epidemic. Across the country, churches have been opening their doors to addicts with nowhere else to turn. At Celebrate Hope we commend the good works happening in Mass, and would like to help spread the message that addiction recovery is possible with the help of Christ. If you are struggling with opioids please contact our faith-based residential addiction treatment center. We can help you break the cycle of addiction and help you re-establish contact with your higher power.