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By Mufaddal Bohri
When someone begins recovery from opioid addiction, they don’t immediately see a light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, they face overwhelming darkness from withdrawal symptoms like goosebumps, anxiety, nausea and vomiting as their body reacts to the absence of a substance it has grown dependent on.
In those moments, hope feels distant. Yet the light they cannot see for themselves can come from the people around them – those who support them, guide them, and understand the struggle because they have lived it too.
Amy Hamlin, a person who has battled addiction, shares her story on how external support is necessary for recovery to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. She went through recovery treatment four times before finally winning the battle.
In fact, around 40 to 60% of people relapse after their medical treatment plan, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. And this happens primarily because due to the chronic changes opioids cause in the brain, which lead to intense cravings, tolerance, and physical withdrawal symptoms that can persist long after cessation, compounded by external factors like stress.
What was different about the last time she went through recovery was her support. When she left her recovery facility for the last time, the difference was the peer resources she received; it was people from the facility who could aid her in times of cravings, in times when it wasn’t easy for her to stay away from drugs.
And now, she herself is helping other people fight the battle. And her message is that when people feel like they can’t go through the struggle, they are not alone, nor are they different. Everyone who has gone through treatment for an addiction has been through this treacherous journey, and you don’t have to feel like you are the only person in this fight. It is normal for you to feel like you are at your absolute worst even after fighting the addiction, but it is normal.
Examples like those are why I urge people who have fought with this addiction to speak out. People need to hear your voice to help them fight these battles. Just like Hamlin’s story is now helping hundreds of people, you can be the voice to help stop this epidemic that has taken lives and needs to stop, and it can only happen with the help of everyone.
If you have battled addiction, you can show the empathy that is required for someone to feel like they can relate to someone. And even if you haven’t gone through addiction, be there. Be there when your friend, your family, or anyone you know is going through their worst moment in life. We can only fight this epidemic when everyone works together.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
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