Independent Living“Recovery…the Journey to get your health back.”
March 27, 2018
Brightmore University closes out the Spring Semester Series, “Voices of Recovery” with speakers Julius Davis, RRCI Certified Peer Support Specialist and Kenny House, V.P. of Clinical Services for Coastal Horizons. We have all heard of the opioid epidemic affecting our town, and we heard first-hand last week from our D.A. Ben David just how prevalent it is and what our criminal justice system is doing about it. However, Kenny House took a different direction explaining that those individuals addicted to opioids literally have a brain disorder caused by the multiple types of opioids they are consuming, and it needs to be treated just like an illness. Our brain cannot handle the use of multiple medications that do not interact well with each other. Eighty-eight percent of those addicted, their medications actually come from primary and family doctors. We need to focus on the prevention of multiple prescribed medications, and our culture needs to change its expectations on how to get rid of pain. Pills are not always the answer. He educated us on how addiction disorders are very similar to chronic illnesses such as Diabetes and Hypertension – all very treatable, where there could be some set-backs; but with the tools and the opportunity to recovery, there is hope and that is what Coastal Horizon’s provides its clients. We then heard Julius Davis give his testimony and recovery journey. Julius has been clean for 7 years, but was using for over 20. Julius says it did not matter what drugs he was taking; he just got so tired of letting his family down, his friends down and most importantly himself! He had to make the decision to ask for help and very importantly getting treatment that worked from the inside out. The Recovery Resource Center did that for him, and now he is so inspired and encouraged from the program, he is now a Peer Support Counselor helping others.