You may have seen the recent news – opioid overdose deaths are increasing in Wisconsin; and you may be like me and start to feel very discouraged. If you have been personally affected by a loss this year, this discouragement may feel more like anger, sadness, or despair. I know because I’ve been personally affected in just the last month. One of the organizations we work with has felt these statistics deeply, losing 3 people in the last couple weeks. You, yourself, may be a son, daughter, father or mother of someone who has lost their battle with addiction; and for you, like all of us, the recent news that opioid overdose deaths are on the rise is more than just a series of startling statistics. This is our life, our reality.
But, despite the tragedy and despite the loss, the human spirit is resilient. It amazes me every day how the Wisconsin Voices for Recovery team and the Wisconsin Recovery Community steps up to the plate, offering care and support, providing referrals to resources, and walking families thru the tough job of finding treatment for their loved ones.
Amazingly, family members and people in recovery have started non-profit organizations to provide funding for people to go to treatment or access sober living; they create programs by speaking in schools or provide peer support in hospitals, jails, and 12 step fellowships. When there are gaps in the recovery services available in our communities, family members and people in recovery step up and don’t wait for someone else to fix the problems that addiction create. We step up and work to provide a recovery community that nurtures the human heart so it can heal and go on to help others.
If you have been personally affected by loss this year, the recovery community is here. We feel your pain. We have been there – or are currently there – and many of us have nearly lost our own lives in this fight. Know that no matter what and no matter where you are on your journey, you are not alone.
Please join Wisconsin Voices for Recovery in continuing to eliminate stigma, build community, and make a difference in our state. Together, we can advocate for more recovery support services and build the infrastructure needed to finally put an end to addiction. Let’s change the story so that not one more family has to face the tragedy of loss. There are solutions. We, as a recovery community, are the solution.
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There are many ways that you can get involved in your community! Please contact us at: wivoiceshn@dcs.wisc.edu or 608-262-9791 for more information or to get connected with a Recovery Community Organization in your area.
