“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
~ J. K. Rowling
Sometimes, a person has to hit the bottom in their drug addiction before they can get help. Recovery is rarely a thought for them when they are intoxicated.
So, when they do hit rock bottom, like Rowling did, their loved ones need to be there to help them get treatment and help them, if possible, every step of the way to recovery.
Ron Shelley is the chairman of the Concerted Care Foundation, a non-profit organization under the Concerted Care Group (CCG). The Concerted Care Foundation focuses on rehabilitating the community and servicing the needs of its clients and others in the Baltimore community; their focus is career development and education.
Drug addiction recovery has been compared to a ladder leading out of a deep, dark hole. As the substance abuser climbs each rung up the ladder, they are closer to recovery. They never, ever want to fall back into the abyss as it will be even more difficult to climb out of it.
No recovering opioid addict wants to slip back into his or her destructive ways; they would rather get off the drug now and forever. This isn’t easy, even with the many benefits of methadone maintenance treatment. In fact, it could be a life-long battle.
“Speaking as somebody who’s been in the drug scene, it’s not something you can go on and on doing, you know. It’s like drink or anything, you’ve got come to grips with it.”
~ John Lennon
Doug Rashid became a board member for Concerted Care Group soon after it opened. He serves on the board as a communications consultant for the board, as he is experienced in doing publicity and public relations for businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. Doug was also a pharmaceutical salesman for several years, which gives him a knowledge of medications.
Have you seen some strange behavior recently?
Have you wondered if they are addicted to some substance?
These are serious questions to ask yourself if you believe that your loved one, friend, classmate, co-worker, spouse or neighbor may have an opioid addiction.
Edith is a nurse practitioner, in her first year at Concerted Care Group, Baltimore. She provides addiction assessments and addiction treatments. Her main focus is on opioids.
She became a nurse practitioner in drug treatment and counseling because she wants to help people. Based on studies, she believes opioid addiction to be a brain disease. So, with intense treatment, guidance and counseling, she sees her clients succeed in treatment.
It’s hard to miss the symbolism: Former opioid addicts cleaning up the drug-infested park they once used. A park that was filled with broken glass, used needles and shattered lives.
But it is much more than just symbolism. It is real change.
Opioids are in the news.
From the news conferences to talk shows to television dramas, opioids and the people affected by them are getting a lot of exposure. Methadone abuse is costing lives and money. It’s taking a toll on American society. It cannot be ignored anymore.
