The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) declared September 2014 to be Recovery Month. In honor of this, the club (of which I'm president ;) ), the Virginia Association of Addiction Professionals (VAAP) Student Chapter presented a screening of the documentary The Anonymous People followed by a panel discussion.
The film is about the Catch 22 of recovery: to protect recovering people from the hurtful stigma attached to addiction, it is important to maintain anonymity; however, anonymity perpetuates the stigma!
The movie presents the new, or rather, revived movement of people coming out openly and calling out addiction for the disease it is. It suggests we follow the example of HIV-AIDS patients who came out as a united front in the late 80s / early 90s and smashed the myths about their disease with honesty and openness. Just as they declared, "Silence = Death", it is important for addicts to educate the public openly and unite against the stigmas that prevent millions from getting help.
This is one of the reasons I blog about my addiction, as well as my mental illness: to shine light on the darkness, to help those suffering feel less alone, and to encourage others to speak their truth as well.
If you are an addict, someone suffering from mental illness, a family member or friend, or just someone interested in positive change, the film is a must see! It is available to rent or own on Amazon Instant Video. Check it out!
I'm finally feeling better. My husband, daughter, and I ventured out to a local lake yesterday afternoon. The weather was gorgeous and my husband thought this was just what the doctor ordered. He was right.
As you know, I've been anxious all week. A half hour in to our trip out on the lake, however, and I began to calm down. The quiet sound of water rippling as we gently glided along was pacifying. The only other sounds were the screeching of a heron in flight, an occasional boat passing by, and the sound of water lapping up on the shore.
My anxiety melted into the water below me as a gentle breeze caressed my hair and the sun warmed my skin.
All was well with the world.
This morning I woke feeling fantastic - for the first time in weeks! I finally feel that things are manageable. I was so worried this past week about school starting and my club getting off the ground this semester. (In case I didn't mention it before, I'm the president of my college's student chapter of the professional association for addiction professionals.) We're sponsoring an event each week in the month of September in celebration of SAMHSA's National Recovery Month. (SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.) I'll be doing a lot of public speaking and there are a lot of loose ends still to be tied for each event. As a leader, all eyes will be looking to me and last week, it unnerved me. I was feeling overwhelmed and doubted my abilities.
Somehow, the feeling has passed. Maybe it was the lake and getting out into nature that calmed and strengthened me. I don't know. But I do know this; I'm feeling great today - confident and excited about the month ahead.
