“To be pulled in to a heated political race based on my own story of redemption is really painful,” said Tarra Simmons. Tarra Simmons never wanted to be the stuff of campaign fodder. But months after winning her year-long battle to become a lawyer, the former prisoner was surprised to see her name dragged into… Continue reading Political Ad Takes Shot At Lawyer's Past Addiction, Criminal History
Tag: stigma
Clean, Sober And Using Suboxone
Suboxone users deserve a safe space, in and out of the rooms. And we deserve to proudly call ourselves clean and sober. It was pretty apparent when I began taking Vicodin for migraines that I was going to have a problem, but I was too ashamed and afraid to ask for help. On the… Continue reading Clean, Sober And Using Suboxone
Language Matters: A Recovery Scientist Explains the Impact of Our Words
If a person has internalized the negative stereotypes associated with being “an addict,” are they more likely to have a fixed mindset and believe they cannot improve or change? Over 21 million Americans have substance use disorder and fewer than 3.8 million individuals receive treatment each year. 28 percent of the individuals who need treatment,… Continue reading Language Matters: A Recovery Scientist Explains the Impact of Our Words
Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide
In addiction treatment circles, conventional wisdom suggests we have to let people hit rock bottom before we can help them. But what happens if rock bottom is dying from suicide? Historical records as far back as ancient Athens have the underpinnings of the stigmatization of suicide. In 360 BCE, Plato wrote that those who died… Continue reading Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide
More Than One Way to Recover: A Guide of Pathways
Regardless of how we achieved recovery, it is our responsibility as members of the recovery community to better inform ourselves (and others) of the other options out there rather than suggesting that our way is the only way. We live in a country where 45 million American families are affected by addiction. The statistics are… Continue reading More Than One Way to Recover: A Guide of Pathways
Paramore’s Hayley Williams Pens Powerful Mental Health Essay
“Writing kept me alive. Forced me to be honest. It helped me understand that emotional wellness and physical health are actually related.” Paramore’s lead singer Hayley Williams is taking the shame out of sadness. In the band’s most recent single “Rose-Colored Boy,” Williams sings, “Just let me cry a little bit longer/ I ain’t gon’… Continue reading Paramore’s Hayley Williams Pens Powerful Mental Health Essay