Recovery Riches, a festival celebrating recovery from substance abuse disorder, brought ample smiles and resources to the Greenbrier Valley on Saturday, Sept. 11.
Held at the track of Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, the event featured speakers, a dunk tank, information booths, a bouncy house, and more, gathered for one goal — getting people into recovery.
The Recovery Riches event. |
One speaker, Brian Acres, explained just how bad the situation can get for some individuals, himself included.
“One [of my overdoses] happened in my mother’s house — the same house my brother had overdosed and died in four years earlier,” said Acres. “When my mom found me, she said the only difference between me and my brother was that I was still warm. That was still not enough to stop me. … Two years ago, I had given up. I was broken. I told some friends I had ruined my life. … Today I stand here 19 months sober. Today I couldn’t ask for a better life. I started a new job seven months ago, training in the program I now run. … I cannot change my past. I can only be consistent and sober and leave the rest to God.”
Each of the speakers agreed with the first — Peer Recovery Support Specialist Scott McGee.
“Substance abuse disorder is a brain disease,” said McGee. “We’re really lucky because the science behind it and the understanding of that disease has grown so much. … We’ve come a long way from thinking about it as an allergy. We know now that there are effective treatments. We have medications that, when used properly and in combination with treatment, are a great assess for people struggling to find recovery in their lives. There are evidence-based treatments for substance abuse disorders. … We understand the importance that childhood trauma has in the underlying disease. People need treatment for the other disorders that often accompany substance abuse disorder.”
And how does that process of recovery begin? Peer Recovery Coach, and Recovery Riches organizer, Jo Chestnut highlighted on way, speaking in favor of Harm Reduction programs. Many of these programs continue without issue in the county, with the exception of Rainelle, where the town council recently enacted an ordinance banning “drug paraphernalia,” such as many of the items the harm reduction team carries.
“When people hear about harm reduction, they’re just thinking about the needle exchange,” said Chestnut. “They don’t understand the harm reduction that comes with that needle exchange. Our program is very in-depth. We have primary care providers on-site to see anybody. Family planning, peer recovery coaches. We also refer to behavioral health and we refer people to treatment centers. Harm reduction is very [important] for these people. These are programs they wouldn’t have access to without our program. … They’re terrified to go to the emergency room because of the way they’ve been treated. They don’t want to go to their primary care because of the way they’ve been treated. We’re there for them.”
Rick Martin is the head of Seneca’s Quick Response Team, who contact overdose victims and try to provide resources for recovery.
“[I get referrals from] EMS, law enforcement, families, whoever contacts me,” Martin said. “I make contact with the overdose victims where they’re at, if it’s at a home, in the woods, at the hospital, it doesn’t matter, wherever I have to be, that’s where I go to talk to these individuals. I try to get them into recovery, discuss all the options we have. .. People say they’re scared to talk to substance users. They’re no different than anyone else. Just make conversation with them, you may get them into treatment. But, overall, we’re here to do one thing, it’s to save lives.”
Rick Martin |
If those with substance abuse disorder are not dissimilar from everyone else, how does the disorder form? Therapist Jessica Williams brought one of the models used in treatment programs.
“The correlation between trauma and addiction has become something that can no longer be denied,” said Williams. “SAMHSHA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, stated that 75 percent of men and women with substance abuse disorder report a history of trauma and abuse. [Between] 12 to 34 percent of individuals … have PTSD. Another study done on adverse childhood experiences, a tool we use to assess people for trauma, stated that for each identified adversity, you increase your chance two or four times for having a substance abuse disorder.”
She continued by explaining the “most simple answer I give to people” about what trauma really is involves “your perception of an event. … [If] me and any person in the crowd were in a vehicle and [we were] in a wreck, we end up with broken right arms. They will be fine and I will be traumatized. It’s how I perceive the event to be.”
She noted that these traumas can also come from place after place in life, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, natural disasters, forced displacement, impaired caregivers, lost of relationships, parents going to jail, removal by Child Protective Services, grief from a death in the family, suicide attempts, witnesses domestic or community violence, bullying in schools, mistreatment and bigotry against those in minority groups, and many more.
“By treating the trauma along with the substance abuse disorder, we’re giving anyone the best chance of pursuing recovery,” Williams said. “The sooner the trauma is identified and treated, the better chance they have of not needing these types of substances to feel better.”
Martin has attended a number of harm reduction clinics throughout Greenbrier County, often distributing an important life-saving medicine to those that are willing to carry it.
“If anybody doesn’t have any Narcan, we have the nasal spray and the injectors,” Martin said. “We’ll issue them to you for free and they’ll save a life. You never know where you’ll find someone that needs it. You just stick it up their nose and squeeze it. … It doesn’t matter if they just fainted or used opioids, it will not hurt them. All it will do is save them if they use opioids. Then call 911, and you’re covered by the good samaritan act. This stuff has saved countless lives.”
Acres also voiced support for as many people carrying Narcan as possible.
“I am told that I enable people with substance abuse disorders to overdose because they know Narcan is available to revive them. I’m told they should only be given one because after they, we can let them die. I am told that I’m part of the problem. So why do I do this? Because I am that person. I am a person who suffers from substance abuse disorder. I have been revived by Narcan on four separate occasions. But I remember. Without this medicine, I wouldn’t be who I am today – a person in long term recovery.”
Martin also spoke up about another medical treatment used to help addicts recover.
“Suboxone is a medical assisted therapy to help people get off of opioids. … The suboxone will fight the cravings for opioids. Some people think it’s switching one drug for another drug, but what it will do is top the cravings and the urges that the addict normally has. You will not go through withdraw. It gives you life back so you can get out and go to work again. … It is an opioid agonist, [which means it] attaches to the receptors in the brain and doesn’t allow the heroine or any other opioids to attach to allow the addict to get the burst of dopamine they’re looking for.”
Greenbrier County Sheriff Bruce Sloan concurred.
“I am not the person to speak about addiction, substance abuse, and recovery efforts. … But as an organization of law enforcement, we do support recovery efforts and we do know that it is possible. … I’ve always tried to not be judgmental over the years — I’ve looked at that individual and [thought] ‘but for the grace of God, there go I.’ Don’t be judgmental of people who have issues in their life and fall into substance abuse. [People say] that, as police officers, all we want to do is put people in jail. That’s not the case. There may be a small percentage of officers that don’t look at it that way, but as police officers, we want people who have substance abuse issues to get help. We want them to be in recovery. We want them to be productive members of society. … Crimes committed are a result of the addiction. Jail is not the solution for that.”
Fundraising at the event went to God’s Way Home, a new housing location for men in recovery in Rainelle. As part of the fundraising, Lieutenant Bart Baker with the Sheriff’s Department and several other individuals volunteered to be part of the dunk tank, where event-goers could pay to get three balls to attempt to hit a target, dropping Baker into a water tank.
“Lieutenant Baker is sitting in the dunking booth, just daring anyone to come over there to see if they can dunk him,” Sloan said. “I would encourage everyone to take as many chances as you can. The money goes to a good cause. You can have some fun and enjoyment and Bart can get a little wet.”
When asked how he felt about getting dunked, Baker said “I needed a bath. It’s Saturday! They’re doing a good thing and I don’t mind getting a little wet for em.”
Lieutenant Bart Baker and the dunk tank. |
The event began at three, taking donations from God’s Way Home and welcoming those looking for resources. Recovery Riches Organizer Amanda Deem took the time to thank as many of the organizations providing these resources as possible.
“I want to thank all our volunteers who helped us set up. I want to thank all the speakers and all the organizations for helping to set up a booth. I want to thank Mountaineer Graphics and Evie’s creations for selling recovery merchandise. I want to thank God’s Way Home residents and staff for helping get this event together. I want to thank Rhema Christain Center and Celebrate Recovery for donations and their time. The Maxwelton Ruritan Club, the Greenbrier Sporting Club, and April and Mark Nestle for donating food and drinks. I want to thank Blackwells Catering and Amy’s Market for the raffle donations. I want to thank the Health Department for all their donations to the event. I want to thank Sheriff [Sloan] and officer Baker … and anyone willing to sit on the dunk tank to raise money for the newly founded men’s home, God’s Way Home. We want to thank Greenbrier Valley Medical Center for allowing us to hold this event here at the track and field. It wouldn’t be possible without each and every one of you all and we really appreciate your help.
Deem also thanked everyone who brought a booth, including Legal Aid of West Virginia, Narcotics Anonymous, Harmony Ridge, West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network, Celebrate Recovery, Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office, Narcotics Anonymous, South Eastern Regional Drug Council, among many others.
Organizer Amanda Deem (left) and Scott McGee. |
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