As we reflect on National Recovery Month 2021, we took a look back at the incredible work our teams continue to do for the clients and the communities they serve. Last month was a time to connect with one another and raise awareness about the disease of addiction and the importance of recovery. Many centers hosted events throughout the month, but our outpatient center on Lincoln Street in Worcester, MA went above and beyond.

We recently sat down with one of our current clients, Jaclyn, on our podcast series Airing Addiction, to hear her story of addiction and recovery in honor of National Recovery Month. As is often the case, Jaclyn experienced trauma in her young life and she turned to substances as a means to cope. Read more about her journey below, or tune into the show to hear it firsthand.

It’s been a tough time for many people – the COVID-19 pandemic has continued well into 2021 and the world is grappling with a constantly changing “normal life” as we head into a new season and new year. As a disease that thrives on inconsistency, drug and alcohol addiction has had its moments – with an increase in overdose deaths, and a growing number of people struggling with addiction, mental health has never been more important than it is right now.

In honor of National Recovery Month, we sat down with Jose, a former member of our Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Center in Worcester, MA, to hear about his recovery story.

Mental illness is one of our nation’s greatest public health issues, with suicide being the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Suicide, addiction, and depression are often intertwined as co-occurring disorders. It’s a vicious cycle that is hard to escape. Individuals struggling with a mental health diagnosis often seek relief by using drugs or alcohol, which can exacerbate symptoms and may progress to a substance use disorder. People struggling with suicidal thoughts often feel like their problems cannot be solved and there is no other way out.

According to the CDC, the first-known wave of opioid overdoses began with the rise of opioid prescriptions in the 1990s. At the time, many pharmaceutical companies and prescribers did not have enough research about the potency and addictive nature of these medications. As methadone and semi-synthetic opioid usage began to increase in 1999 and into the early 2000s, there was a second wave of overdose deaths involving heroin. The third wave began in 2013 with illicitly manufactured fentanyl which is often added to heroin or cocaine without the user’s knowledge.

Like many people who begin misusing substances, Roslyn didn’t immediately see that she was developing an addiction. She started using opioids here and there, would try to stay clean for a while, and then start using again. It was a pattern that continued to get worse and worse, until a series of personal tragedies forced her to stop using and really take stock of her life.

Addiction may go untreated for a variety of reasons. Individuals may be reluctant to seek treatment because of the associated stigma, the potential costs, or they may live in an area where treatment is not easily accessible. Here, we take a closer look at these barriers to drug and alcohol treatment and provide some answers and resources for anyone looking for help for substance use disorder.

We’re excited to shine the spotlight on another one of our outstanding employees: Karen Hewitt!

Over 21 million Americans struggle with addiction, but only ten percent of them seek help. Despite drug and alcohol addiction costing the U.S. economy over $600 billion each year, there are many barriers to treatment including transportation issues, work and family responsibilities, lack of insurance, and more. The most significant, however, is the limited number of beds which often results in long waiting periods before treatment becomes available. Seeking help takes an incredible amount of courage, and a lot of factors come together the moment an individual is finally ready. If turned away, that moment all too often simply passes. The need for immediate access to addiction treatment is growing as we see a rise in overdose deaths across the country.

The impact of addiction spreads far beyond the person struggling with it. Too often, those closest to the person suffering are also going through their own struggle as a result, which is why we call addiction a family disease.

A strong support system can make a huge difference in a person’s addiction recovery journey – but where are the people who typically provide that support receiving the help that they need? Having a relationship with someone who struggles with substance use disorder (SUD) is often an emotional burden itself and can feel extremely isolating. We’re here to tell you that you do not have to struggle alone.

Trauma and its connection with substance use disorder (SUD) is an important aspect to consider in the treatment of addiction.

At Spectrum Health Systems, our dedicated staff members genuinely care about our clients. We had the pleasure of speaking with one of our Program Directors, Cinderella Stiltner, about her role overseeing the Substance Use Disorder program at the Appalachian Community Corrections Alternative Program (ACCAP) in Honaker, VA, and what she finds to be the most rewarding part of her job.

Dinner parties, family gatherings, birthdays, after work happy hours – it seems that almost every social outing involves alcohol. While having a drink or two after work isn’t harmful for people who haven’t experienced addiction, those of you in recovery are well aware of the risks associated with having just one drink.

At Spectrum Health Systems, we take enormous pride in the high quality of services we provide. We assist our clients in achieving and sustaining their recovery long after they complete one of our addiction treatment programs, by providing ongoing support and offering a continuum of services. We believe that the staff who carry out Spectrum’s mission are essential to the quality of our services and ultimately the positive results for our clients.

Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It affects every community imaginable. More than 23 million US adults struggle with substance use disorders (SUDs) and in Massachusetts, over half of adults continue to battle this disease -- which is why we established Spectrum’s training, technical assistance and consulting group several years ago to help raise public awareness and enhance professional training for behavioral health providers across the Commonwealth.

Opioid use is uncommonly high in the construction industry, where workers face many physical hazards and are at an increased risk of getting injured. One study shows that construction workers are the most likely occupation to misuse opioids and cocaine. Compared to other industries in North America, construction workers are roughly six times more likely to become addicted to opioids.

If you or a loved one needs addiction treatment today, Spectrum is ready. Our Rapid Access Treatment Program, located at 475 Pleasant Street in Worcester, Mass. is a specialized program which allows people to come in for an assessment and receive their first dose of medication for opioid use disorders (MOUD) on the same day. As the only organization in Massachusetts offering rapid access treatment using buprenorphine and naltrexone, this program is uniquely positioned to help incoming clients throughout the state start their recovery journey immediately.

Spectrum Health Systems strives to provide current, comprehensive, evidence-based addiction treatment for our clients. We rely both on our own experts to achieve this high quality of care and on third parties that conduct objective reviews according to internationally recognized standards. Following a recent onsite survey, we were thrilled to receive special recognition from one of the most well-regarded accrediting authorities, CARF International, for our specialized COVID-19 Unit.